NextGenCOP30.5 Youth Climate Diplomacy Summit concludes in Istanbul

The NextGenCOP30.5 Climate Summit and Youth Diplomacy Simulation has concluded in Istanbul. Organized through a collaboration between the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, the Cemre Foundation, and Istanbul Technical University (ITU), the five-day program aimed to encourage active youth participation in climate diplomacy.

Approximately 200 delegates representing 44 different nations and 40 Turkish provinces participated in the event. The simulation mirrored the negotiation processes of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Participants were organized into various blocs, including Developed Countries, Developing Countries, Transition Economies, Oil and Natural Gas Producers, Rainforest and Biodiversity-Rich Countries, and Island and Vulnerable Countries.

Following intensive sessions and panels regarding climate crisis mitigation and national measures, the delegates drafted a comprehensive solution proposal titled the ‘Antalya Agreement’. Furkan Gökgöz, Chairman of the Cemre Foundation, noted that the 200 participants were selected from over 1,000 applicants through a rigorous interview process to ensure expertise in the field.