BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 10. A special visa
will be applied for COP31 participants in Antalya, Head of the
Support Services Department of the Turkish Ministry of Environment,
Urbanization and Climate Change, Ahmet Sami Kulaklıoğlu, said at
the event "COP31: Operations Management" held within the framework
of the Baku Climate Action Week 2026, Trend's correspondent reports from the
event.


The official noted that visa procedures will be facilitated for
all parties participating in COP31.


According to him, a special COP31 visa has been applied for
participants who are confirmed in the registration system of the
United Nations Climate Change Secretariat.


"This visa can be applied for through the link in the e-mail
sent with the registration confirmation of the Secretariat and
through the diplomatic missions of Türkiye abroad. Starting next
week, the corresponding link will also be available on the
website," Kulaklıoğlu explained.


He pointed out that the official accreditation processes are
carried out through the online registration system of the United
Nations Climate Change Secretariat, as in previous years. Media
accreditation is also carried out through the same system.


Kulaklıoğlu said that preparations for food and catering
services in the COP31 area are also ongoing.


"Our menus are prepared in various categories to cover vegan,
vegetarian, gluten-free, halal, and special dietary needs. We are
building an accessible and comprehensive food infrastructure with
22 restaurants, 65 kiosks, and a sufficient number of vending
machines in the COP31 area. Thus, all participants will be able to
reach a food and beverage point every 80 steps," he emphasized.


According to him, since Antalya is both a tourism and
agricultural city, extensive use of local products is planned.


"Considering the advantage that up to 80% of all food products,
except coffee, can be supplied from Antalya and its immediate
surroundings, we give priority to local procurement. Our goal is to
provide food services with the lowest possible carbon footprint,"
Kulaklıoğlu noted.


He added that within the scope of the "7 Regions 7 Kitchens"
project, gastronomy houses presenting cuisines from different
geographical regions of Türkiye will be established in the Green
Zone.


"These cuisines will include Mediterranean, Gaziantep, Black
Sea, Kayseri, and Konya cuisines, as well as the Turkic world
cuisines. In addition, a Zero Waste Kitchen will be established,
which will operate on the basis of zero waste principles," he
said.







The official noted that various events will be held in the Green
Zone, including light shows, a Children and Youth Center, an
Anatolian Garden, and a Climate School.


He said that all operations in both the Blue and Green Zones
within the COP31 area will be carried out on the basis of a
zero-waste approach.


"A Zero Waste Application and Experience Center will operate in
the Green Zone, and a Zero Waste Museum will operate in the Blue
Zone," A.S. Kulaklıoğlu stressed.


According to him, a special project is being implemented to
implement zero waste principles in Solak, Demirçiler, and Ormana
villages in Antalya, and it's planned to prepare these villages as
"Zero Waste Villages".


Kulaklıoğlu announced that the gala dinner within the framework
of the Leaders' Summit is planned to be held on November 11 at the
NEST Congress Center, located close to the COP31 site and
accommodation facilities.


Touching on the issue of accommodation, Kulaklıoğlu said that
all partners have been identified by the COP31 Presidency within
the framework of the Host Country Agreement.


"All relevant agencies can be reached through our official
website. Our accommodation agency started operating on March 18,
2026, and started accepting reservations," he noted.


Besides, he called on the participants to book their
accommodation through an official agency.


"All hotels we include in our booking system are selected from
hotels that have a Sustainable Tourism Certificate, ISO 14001
environmental certificate, and Accessible Tourism Certificate, and
have passed the inspection of the Turkish Ministry of Tourism.
Also, at COP31, provisions on the protection of consumer rights
were included in the accommodation obligations within the framework
of the Host Country Agreement for the first time," Kulaklıoğlu
added.