started · updated
Turkey launches nationwide COP31 climate awareness campaign
In preparation for the COP31 United Nations Climate Change Conference to be hosted in Antalya, Turkey, the Ministry of Family and Social Services, in collaboration with UNICEF Türkiye and the Zero Waste Foundation, has launched a nationwide awareness campaign. The initiative involves Child Rights Committees across 81 provinces to engage children in discussions regarding climate change, zero waste, and sustainable living.
Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş emphasized that children bear the greatest burden of climate change and must be central to the decision-making process. Events held in cities such as Aydın, Samsun, Konya, Kırklareli, and Kocaeli featured activities including sapling distribution, digital waste awareness, and the creation of ‘Climate Trees’ where citizens and children share environmental messages.
Additionally, the Ministry is addressing the digital impact on youth. Minister Göktaş announced that new regulations are being developed to ensure safer digital environments for children, including potential e-Devlet integration for platform access and specific content differentiation for the 15-18 age group to mitigate issues like decreased concentration and anxiety caused by social media and gaming platforms.
Entities
COP31 · Kocaeli Family and Social Services Provincial Directorate · Kırıkkale Family and Social Services Provincial Directorate · Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş · Ministry of Family and Social Services · Sıfır Atık Vakfı · Turkey · UNICEF Türkiye · United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change · Zero Waste Foundation