03.06.2026 14:10
TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu, in his speech at the COP31 Business Forum - Business World Consultation Meeting, told Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum, "As a citizen of the Republic of Türkiye, I have a special thanks to you. You built 455 thousand homes in 2 years. This is a world record, there is no need to take it lightly. There is a success story like building a new country. May God be pleased with you."
Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum attended the 'COP31 Business Forum-Turkish Business World Consultation Meeting Program' held at the Presidency of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB).
"455 THOUSAND HOUSING UNITS IN 2 YEARS: A WORLD RECORD"
Speaking here, TOBB President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu said to Minister Kurum, "As a citizen of the Republic of Turkey, I have a special thanks to you. You built 455 thousand housing units in 2 years. This is a world record, there is no need to take it lightly. There is a success story like building a new country. May Allah be pleased with you, you worked day and night. I thank you."
"WE ARE ESTABLISHING THE COP31 BUSINESS FORUM"
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that climate change has become a global transformation move that fundamentally changes countries' growth strategies, energy and economic policies, and that the COP31 Summit being held in Turkey is of critical importance in this context.
Hisarcıklıoğlu reminded that preparations for the COP31 Summit have begun with great excitement and that Minister Kurum has been appointed as the "COP31 Private Sector Envoy", saying, "As a first step, we are establishing the COP31 Business Forum with you today. We are bringing this forum to life to make this relationship permanent, institutional, and highly representative, and to systematically convey the voice of the business world to the process."
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that he will also use the global connections he gained during his roles such as the Presidency of the World Chambers Federation and membership in the ICC Board of Directors to strengthen the structure of the forum.
"OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE THE TURKISH BUSINESS WORLD A DECISIVE PLAYER"
Emphasizing that their goal is to make the COP processes a permanent structure, Hisarcıklıoğlu spoke as follows:
"The climate struggle is no longer just an environmental issue; it is also the industrial and competition struggle of the 21st century. Whoever determines the factories, supply chains, and technology standards of the green transformation will also determine the industrial hierarchy of this century. Our concern is not to be spectators of this transformation, but to move the Turkish business world into the 'rule-makers' camp, into the position of being the determinant of the game."
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that a concrete roadmap has been determined for the summit and reported that important meetings are planned within the scope of London Climate Week and New York Climate Week for the international promotion of the forum. Emphasizing that, with the support of Minister Kurum, the largest business and investment summit ever held will take place in the Antalya Blue Zone, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that they are open to all suggestions and contributions in this context.
"LET'S USE THIS PROCESS AS A SHOWCASE"
Hisarcıklıoğlu addressed all private sector organizations and noted the following:
"Participate in this process not just as spectators, but as stakeholders providing active contributions. Take part in the forum's work, panels, and consultation meetings. Bring your sectoral priorities, investment opportunities, and solution proposals to the table. Let's all together be the strong, constructive, and solution-oriented voice of the Turkish private sector. Let's use this process as a showcase to demonstrate to the world the strength, production capacity, and transformation will of Turkey and the Turkish private sector, and turn COP31 into a historic opportunity for investors to view Turkey more positively. We will always stand by our minister and his team in this challenging process. There are 5 months left until the COP summit. As the business world, we will be with them with all our strength both during the preparation process and in Antalya."