Marmara Municipalities Union Participates in COP31 Türkiye
Bringing together government representatives, local authorities, international organizations, academia, private sector and civil society from around the world, COP31 will offer a global platform for discussions on climate change mitigation, adaptation, and international cooperation. As part of the conference's Blue Zone and Green Zone programs, MMU will organize sessions that address a range of key issues, including urban resilience, local climate action, climate finance, multilevel governance, just transition, sustainable food systems, and the protection of marine ecosystems.
Local Climate Action and Urban Resilience in the Blue Zone
As part of the Blue Zone programme, MMU in collaboration with CDP will organize sessions focused on the implementation of climate policies at the local level, data-driven planning, and the role of municipalities in advancing climate action. These sessions include:
- Evidence-Based Urban Resilience: From Data and Planning to Climate Action"
- "From Policy to Practice: Local Governments and Climate Action"
In collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Climate KIC, another session titled "Building Fair and Resilient Cities: Local and Subnational Action on Heat, Housing, and Just Transition" will explore the climate-related challenges cities face, with a particular emphasis on extreme heat, housing issues, and the concept of just transition.
Additionally, the session "Accelerating Local Climate Transition: How Do Countries Support Cities on Their Journey Towards Climate Neutrality?", which is jointly organized by MMU and Climate KIC, drawing on the experience of the Climate-Neutral Cities Network of Türkiye (İNŞA), established within MMU under the City Expert Support Facility of NetZeroCities, the implementing platform of the EU Cities Mission, will explore national platforms supporting local climate action, mechanisms for strengthening institutional capacity to access climate data and finance, and experiences from different countries.
Marine ecosystem protection will also be a focus in MMU's Blue Zone programme. During the session "Mayors Speak Up: From Local Pressures to Shared Action for Marmara Sea" mayors will share their local government experiences and discuss opportunities for collective action to protect the Sea of Marmara.
In the Green Zone, MMU will organize a session on “Resilient and Sustainable Food Systems" which will draw on the Policy Paper on Resilient and Sustainable Food Systems in the Marmara Region. This session will explore the impacts of climate change on food systems and the role of local governments in building more resilient and sustainable approaches.
Finally, in collaboration with the Global Alliance for Care and the Mother Child Education Foundation (AÇEV), the session titled "Caring Cities to Climate Action: Centering Care in Just Transition" will examine the relationship between care services, climate policies, social inequalities, and the social dimensions of just transition.
MMU Representatives to Contribute to Additional COP31 Sessions
In addition to the sessions organised by MMU, its representatives will contribute as speakers to various events throughout the conference.
These include “Tackling Ghost Nets and Marine Microplastics: Science-Based Coastal Restoration in the Marmara and Aegean Seas”, organized by Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality in Blue Zone; “From Climate Ambition to Local Action: Building Resilient Cities” session which will be held at Esenler Municipality Pavillon in Green Zone; and “Transitioning to Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities: From Horizon Europe Missions to Local Implementation” session organized by Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Directorate for EU Affairs, in Blue Zone. Through these discussions, MMU representatives will share experiences and perspectives from the Union's different areas of work.
Throughout COP31, Marmara Municipalities Union aims to strengthen the role of local governments in the development and implementation of climate policies, facilitate the exchange of local experiences at the international level and contribute to new partnerships through its sessions and engagement with international stakeholders.
