Call to action: Ahead of COP31, activists urge Türkiye to confront fossil fuels following Antalya wildfires – EnviroNews

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Antalya forest fires were a series of wildfires that began on September 7, 2026, in various areas of Antalya, primarily in the districts of Aksu and Serik, and spread over large areas due to strong winds. As a result of the fires, some residential areas were evacuated, homes, greenhouses and agricultural lands were damaged, and numerous air and ground vehicles with personnel were deployed for firefighting operations.

On the night of September 7, fires broke out in the neighborhoods of Deniztepesi and Sarıabalı, which are under the jurisdiction of Serik district in Antalya. The fires, which started in non-forested areas, rapidly spread due to strong winds in the region.

As the flames began to threaten residential areas, fire departments, earth-moving equipment and construction machinery were dispatched to the area, and several homes were evacuated as a precaution.

Environmental campaign group, 350 Türkiye, held a demonstration in the wildfire-affected area of Aksu in the province of Antalya, venue of the upcoming UN Climate Summit COP31. Unfurling a giant banner that reads “The climate crisis is here,” the action brought attention to the extensive damage caused by the wildfire that broke out on September 7, just a few kilometres away from where the climate talks will be held. 

It highlighted that although Türkiye, COP31 host and co-president, is experiencing severe climate impacts, it has yet to present a concrete plan for phasing out fossil fuels, particularly coal. 

Ege Tok, 350 Türkiye campaigner, said: “In November, leaders and climate negotiators from all over the world will gather in Antalya to discuss combating climate change. We’re in Aksu to show the reality of the climate crisis on the ground. These areas left behind by the fire show that the crisis is not an abstract future scenario. The climate crisis is burning our home, and the real cause is fossil fuels. This scene, just a few kilometers away from the venue where COP31 will be held, shows the crucial responsibility of Türkiye as COP31 host. Türkiye must ensure that the summit will result in concrete action that will pave the way for a rapid and just transition away from coal, oil, and gas.”

The Mediterranean Basin is one of the most climate-vulnerable regions. Around 8,000 hectares of land in Antalya were destroyed by forest fires this year alone. Climate change – characterised by rising temperatures, prolonged heatwaves, and drought – creates favorable conditions for fires to start and spread rapidly and become more destructive.

350 Türkiye said that COP31 must be a turning point for real climate action. It called on Türkiye to set a concrete timeline to phase out fossil fuels, starting with coal; accelerate a just and orderly transition to renewable energy; and strengthen policies to protect communities and ecosystems from climate impacts.

350 Türkiye also emphasised that a transition away from fossil fuels must be at the centre of the COP31 agenda, and that the COP31 presidency is an opportunity for Türkiye to demonstrate leadership that can steer other countries toward stronger climate action.