Queer and gay protesters defied a crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights in Turkey on Saturday to lead a civil society climate march in Antalya, the host city for this year’s UN climate summit, The Guardian reported.
The demonstration occurred as COP31 reached its halfway point with few substantive outcomes yet secured. Turkish authorities have stepped up persecution of LGBTQ+ groups since September, targeting activists in their homes and at non-governmental organization offices.
Defying the Crackdown in Antalya
Demonstrators gathered at Aydin Kanza Park under heavy police watch, facing double-frisking and thorough bag searches before entering. Steel barriers cordoned off the entire route to restrict movement.
I was extremely impressed to see more than 90,000 people at #COP31 in Antalya. I could feel their energy & determination to push for urgent #ClimateAction. Only the @UN can bring so many people from around the world together in defense of our planet & our common future. pic.twitter.com/xySRKsKnRL
“It feels like I am living in a prison in this country. I am running all the time,” Özgür, a 20-year-old Turkish LGBTQ+ activist, told The Guardian. “We can do this because the eyes of the international media are here.”
International climate campaigners formed a protective cordon around the LGBTQ+ block as participants unfurled rainbow flags. Lucia Posteraro, a consultant at the International Federation of Human Rights, said that international organizations closely monitored the group to prevent security forces from taking coercive action.
Wider Demands at COP31
Thousands of participants marched on Saturday as part of a global day of action demanding climate justice and an end to fossil fuels, according to 350.org. Organisers called for public climate finance for the Global South, reparations for loss and damage, and an end to militarisation.
Tülay Hatimoğulları, co-chair of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party, criticized COP31 at a press conference covered by ANF English. She accused officials of using climate protection to legitimize economic growth and exploitation.
“While the entire world is expecting concrete steps toward phasing out fossil fuels, Turkey continues to present new oil discoveries as good news for society,” Hatimoğulları said, pointing to recent announcements in Gabar.
Negotiation Sticking Points
Discussions in Antalya center heavily on operationalizing the Belém-Antalya mechanism agreed upon at COP30 in Brazil to support transitions away from fossil fuels, as detailed by Carbon Brief. Negotiators face lingering questions regarding the ambition of the COP31 presidency and the delivery of adequate public finance.
Romain Ioualalen, global policy lead at Oil Change International, criticized recent drafts of the summit’s just transition text. He said that the Australian COP31 presidency appeared to have watered down the text overnight by stripping away key demands from developing countries.
UN chief climate negotiator Simon Stiell urged countries on Saturday to move swiftly on difficult issues. “There is no collective success without compromise from every party,” Stiell said.
