Pakistan, Türkiye vow stronger climate cooperation ahead of COP31 summit

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th May, 2026) Pakistan and Türkiye on Friday agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation on climate resilience, flood management and water security ahead of the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), scheduled to be held in Antalya, Türkiye, in November this year.

The understanding was reached during a meeting between a high-level Turkish delegation and senior officials of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination.

The Turkish delegation, facilitated by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), was led by Maruf Aras, while Federal Secretary for Climate Change Aisha Humera Moriani headed the Pakistani side.

The delegation included experts from Türkiye’s State Hydraulic Works and General Directorate for Water Management.

The discussions focused on integrated flood and river basin management, glacier and avalanche risk reduction, multi-hazard early warning systems, combating desertification, and development of climate-resilient infrastructure.

Speaking on the occasion, Aisha Humera Moriani said climate change had emerged as a major economic and security challenge requiring coordinated regional and global responses.

“Climate change is no longer a distant environmental concern; it is an immediate challenge affecting economies, livelihoods and national security,” she said.

She said Pakistan highly valued Türkiye’s technical expertise and continued support in building resilient communities, strengthening disaster preparedness and protecting vulnerable ecosystems.

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Maruf Aras reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to enhancing cooperation with Pakistan in the areas of sustainable land management, water governance and climate adaptation.

“Türkiye considers Pakistan a trusted partner in regional climate action. By combining technical knowledge, innovation and institutional collaboration, both countries can develop sustainable solutions to confront floods, droughts, desertification and other climate-induced risks,” he said.

The meeting also reviewed opportunities for cooperation in watershed management, circular economy initiatives, zero-waste models, joint research programmes and technical capacity-building.

Meanwhile, the Ministry’s media spokesperson Mohammad Saleem Shaikh said both sides emphasized the urgency of scaling up regional cooperation as climate-induced disasters intensify across vulnerable regions.

Talking to APP, he said the engagement reflected both countries’ commitment to translating bilateral cooperation into practical and scalable climate solutions.

The two sides also agreed to intensify coordination ahead of COP31, particularly on adaptation finance, disaster risk reduction and sustainable climate-resilient development.