COP31 Antalya Venue Ready as Former EXPO Grounds Prepare for 85 World Leaders

The COP31 Antalya venue is ready for the world. The former EXPO 2016 grounds in Antalya’s Aksu district have been adapted to host the 31st United Nations climate conference from 9 to 20 November 2026, and a ministerial inspection on 23 October confirmed the scale of the gathering: 85 world leaders are expected, with a record 159 pavilions and 90 delegation offices approved.

Türkiye holds the COP31 presidency, while Australia leads the formal negotiations under the joint governance model agreed for the summit. The COP31 Antalya venue will bring together national delegations, scientists, businesses and civil society to discuss emissions cuts, adaptation, climate finance and the delivery of promises made under the Paris Agreement.

COP31 Antalya venue: EXPO 2016 grounds reborn

The venue builds on infrastructure originally developed for EXPO 2016 Antalya, an international horticultural exhibition. Its grounds in Aksu included landscaped areas, exhibition facilities and buildings dedicated to agriculture and biodiversity. For COP31, architecture practice SP Architects is adapting the existing site through a combination of renovations and new permanent and temporary structures.

According to SP Architects, the practice has led the project from concept through construction over the past year, working from an office established on site and coordinating with Türkiye’s Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and other stakeholders. The design uses modular and reusable building components, alongside measures for environmental control and operational efficiency.

After COP31, the grounds are intended to keep hosting fairs, concerts and other events, in coordination with Antalya’s metropolitan and district municipalities, extending the site’s life beyond the conference.

Blue Zone and Green Zone: two halves of the summit

The conference venue is divided into two areas with distinct functions. The Blue Zone, managed by the UNFCCC, will host formal negotiations and meetings involving accredited participants, while the Green Zone will accommodate public events, exhibitions and dialogue. Bringing both areas together on one site has required careful coordination of circulation, security boundaries and shared facilities.

The summit’s thematic programme covers energy and transport, food and agriculture, climate finance, the circular economy and the protection of oceans and terrestrial ecosystems. The World Leaders’ Climate Action Summit will take place on 11 and 12 November, and 12 November will focus on resilient cities and the built environment, including climate-friendly buildings, urban resilience, disaster risk management, local governments, smart cities, nature-based solutions, mobility, infrastructure and sustainable waste systems.

85 leaders, 26,000 security staff and a record number of pavilions

Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum, the COP31 president-designate, said during the venue inspection that Türkiye expects 85 world leaders to attend, along with nearly 300 ministers. Applications for 159 pavilions and 90 delegation offices have been approved, a record number for a UN climate conference, and more than one million visitors are expected during the event, with a media centre designed to accommodate 4,000 journalists.

Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi said 26,000 personnel from the police, gendarmerie and coast guard will work at the summit, with plans covering land, air and sea. Disaster agency AFAD will deploy 15 vehicles and 120 personnel for fire precautions, evacuation and emergency planning, while the Health Ministry has prepared 110 ambulances, 300 medical personnel and 31 UMKE medical rescue teams.

An implementation COP, from dialogue to action

Deputy Foreign Minister Berris Ekinci said at an event marking the upcoming United Nations Day that COP31 would prioritise the practical implementation of climate policies, describing it as an “implementation COP”. She said the second decade of the Paris Agreement should focus on delivering commitments rather than primarily negotiating new decisions, and highlighted the Climate Implementation Bridge, an initiative developed with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to help turn national climate ambitions into bankable projects.

According to Ekinci, the summit will combine formal negotiations with a climate action agenda involving cities, businesses, investors, researchers, civil society and young people, including six global targets for 2035. UN Resident Coordinator in Türkiye Babatunde Ahonsi described the approach as “inclusive multilateralism”, saying preparations had involved dialogues with businesses, municipalities, youth groups and women’s organisations.

Under the theme “From Dialogue to Consensus, From Consensus to Action”, COP31 follows the climate finance goal agreed at COP29 in Baku and COP30’s advances on adaptation finance and just transition in Belém. Related coverage of Türkiye’s implementation focus is available in Türkiye presents COP31 as implementation conference, and the European Parliament’s own COP31 mandate is covered in European Parliament adopts COP31 mandate.

Key facts

• COP31 takes place in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9 to 20 November 2026, with a World Leaders’ Climate Action Summit on 11 and 12 November.
• The COP31 Antalya venue is the former EXPO 2016 grounds in Aksu, adapted by SP Architects with modular and reusable components.
• The Blue Zone, managed by the UNFCCC, hosts formal negotiations; the Green Zone hosts public events, exhibitions and dialogue.
• 85 world leaders and nearly 300 ministers are expected; 159 pavilions and 90 delegation offices have been approved, a record.
• 26,000 security personnel will be deployed, and more than one million visitors are expected during the event.
• The summit’s theme is “From Dialogue to Consensus, From Consensus to Action”.

Frequently asked questions

When and where is COP31?

COP31 is scheduled for 9 to 20 November 2026 in Antalya, Türkiye, at the former EXPO 2016 grounds in the Aksu district, with a World Leaders’ Climate Action Summit on 11 and 12 November.

What is the COP31 Antalya venue?

The COP31 Antalya venue is the adapted former EXPO 2016 site in Aksu, with a UN-managed Blue Zone for formal negotiations and a Green Zone for public events, exhibitions and dialogue. After the summit, the grounds are intended to keep hosting fairs, concerts and other events.

Who leads COP31?

Türkiye holds the COP31 presidency, with Environment Minister Murat Kurum as president-designate, while Australia leads the formal negotiations under the joint governance model agreed for the summit.

What does “implementation COP” mean?

According to Deputy Foreign Minister Berris Ekinci, COP31 is designed as an “implementation COP” that prioritises turning existing climate commitments into concrete projects, including through the Climate Implementation Bridge developed with the UNDP.

How big will COP31 be?

Organisers expect 85 world leaders, nearly 300 ministers, more than one million visitors during the event, 159 pavilions and 90 delegation offices, with 26,000 security personnel deployed and a media centre for 4,000 journalists.