D-8 Environment Ministers Meet in Istanbul to Advance COP31 Implementation

The Developing‑8 (D‑8) organization held its first ever Ministerial Meeting on Environment in Istanbul, Turkey, on 17 July 2026. Chaired by Turkey’s Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, Murat Kurum—who is also the president‑designate of COP31—the gathering followed a senior officials’ meeting on 16 July and brought together ministers and senior representatives from all nine D‑8 member states.

Participants highlighted the bloc’s demographic and economic weight and pledged to support the upcoming COP31 agenda, focusing on adaptation, climate finance, loss‑and‑damage and a just transition. The meeting concluded with the adoption of the “Istanbul Declaration” and a proposal to intensify pre‑COP31 consultations, including plans for a joint D‑8 pavilion and side events in Antalya.

The summit underscored the D‑8’s commitment to linking economic growth with environmental protection through technology transfer, knowledge‑sharing and South‑South cooperation.