Thousands demonstrate in Antalya against fossil fuels during COP31 summit

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in central Antalya, Turkey, on November 14, 2026, to demand stronger climate protection and protest the continued use of fossil fuels. The mass demonstration coincided with the Global Day of Action for Climate Justice and took place while the COP31 United Nations climate summit reached its midpoint. While some reports estimate the crowd reached 10,000 people, police estimates reported by various outlets placed the number of protesters at over 7,000.

Climate justice and fossil fuel protests

The demonstration was organized by a coalition of environmental NGOs, human rights organizations, labor unions, and political parties. Participants criticized the continued use of fossil fuels and their contribution to global warming. The protest also included representatives from LGBT+ rights organizations.

The event occurred alongside the People's Climate Summit, an alternative event to the official COP31 proceedings. This alternative summit was organized by the Climate Justice Coalition, the Ecology Union, and the Environmental Platform of Türkiye. The People's Climate Summit is scheduled to continue until November 18. Halime Saman, a representative of the People's Climate Summit platform, stated that people suffer the consequences of climate injustice but their voices are not heard at COP. Saman added that while Turkey co-chairs COP31, the country has no plan to abandon fossil fuels.

Activist Yasar Gokoglu, who traveled 600 kilometers from Adana to Antalya, described the COP31 summit as a farce sponsored by monopolies. Gokoglu noted that the real victims of the climate crisis will publish their own final declaration.

COP31 summit and global targets

The COP31 summit involves representatives from nearly 200 countries and is scheduled to end on Friday, November 21. Turkey serves as a co-chair of the COP31 conference. During the summit, Australian Climate Minister Chris Bowen noted that there have been very good and positive talks, though some topics require more time. UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell stated that negotiators and states should seek compromise and avoid tactical stalling, noting that reaching agreement on every word is difficult but vital.

The summit comes amid concerns regarding global temperature targets. New estimates suggest that the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels may not be met by the end of the century. Regarding energy transitions, Turkey aims to increase the share of electricity in global energy consumption to 35 percent by 2035, up from approximately 20 percent currently.

Security and social tensions

Police monitored the protest and conducted preventive searches of participants. The demonstration occurred during a period of increased pressure on the LGBT+ community by Turkish authorities. Since September, authorities have implemented a hard line against the community, which has included the arrests of dozens of community supporters and the shutdown of at least one news portal and various social media accounts.

Berkan Özyer, the Director of Greenpeace Turkey, said that people in Turkey and globally are mobilizing to protect their future from the destructive impacts of fossil fuels.

Glossary

• COP31 — COP31 is a United Nations climate conference. It is being organized jointly by Turkey and Australia.
• People's Climate Summit — The People's Climate Summit is an alternative conference to official COP proceedings. It involves environmental activists and leaders who formulate declarations regarding climate change.
• UNFCCC — The UNFCCC is a United Nations climate change treaty established in 1992. It serves as a framework for international climate change agreements.