Reflections from New Republic’s COP30 Breakfast Meeting in Stockholm

A timely conversation on climate policy, global expectations — and the road to COP31 in Türkiye

This morning, New Republic Public Affairs held an enlightening COP30 Breakfast Meeting at their Stockholm offices, assembling a distinguished panel of climate experts, policy analysts, and sustainability leaders. With COP30 still fresh in everyone's thoughts, this session offered a valuable opportunity to discuss the accomplishments, shortcomings, and the necessary acceleration of the global agenda. PMA Group Chairman Ahmet Pandır had the privilege of attending to gain insights into the significance of COP and the challenges humanity faces moving forward.

The panel included:

• Mikael Karlsson, Professor, Uppsala University

• Emma Modéer Wiking, Global Head of Sustainability, Business Sweden

• Martin Wadmark, Climate Policy Expert, WWF

• Andreas Gyllenhammar, Chief Sustainability Officer, Sweco

  
  

  Moderated by Magnus Johansson Hessling, partner at New Republic Public Affairs.

Their collective expertise helped frame both the policy implications of COP30 and the broader geopolitical climate landscape. Each speaker offered a perspective rooted in science, economics, policy, and societal impact — making it clear that the climate agenda is no longer an isolated policy track but deeply intertwined with national competitiveness, resilience, and public trust.

Why COP30 Matters — and Why COP31 Will Matter Even More

One of the strongest themes from the discussion was that COP30 delivered progress, but not at the speed or scale demanded by the science. Sweden, like many nations, will need to strengthen both its domestic climate policies and its international engagement to remain credible on the global stage.

What became evident is that COP30’s outcomes are not endpoints — they are marching orders. The real work begins in national legislatures, boardrooms, municipalities, and international partnerships.

The Panel

The Challenges Ahead: A Reality Check

The challenges ahead include:

• The widening gap between global targets and actual emissions trends

• Slower-than-required financing flows for climate adaptation

• Political polarization in many countries, affecting public support for climate action

• The need for large-scale clean energy deployment while ensuring affordability and security

• A rapidly closing window to stay within the 1.5°C trajectory

The panelists agreed that policy certainty and cross-border cooperation will be absolutely essential — especially as the world prepares for its next climate summit.

Türkiye’s Moment: Hosting COP31 in Antalya, November 2026

As the discussion turned toward the future, there was genuine excitement around the decision for Türkiye to host COP31 in November 2026. For us as Türkiye’s tourism sector and Antalya’s hotel community, this is not just an honour — it is a profound responsibility.

We are proud and privileged to welcome the world to Antalya for a conference that will define the trajectory of global climate action.

Hosting COP31:

• Positions Türkiye as a bridge between Europe, Asia, and the Global South

• Allows Antalya to showcase its sustainable tourism leadership

• Creates a once-in-a-generation platform to accelerate regional climate cooperation

• Encourages the hospitality sector to deepen its commitment to environmental stewardship

For Antalya hoteliers and tourism leaders, COP31 is an opportunity to demonstrate that sustainability is not just a trend — it is the foundation of the future of travel.

Looking Ahead

Today’s breakfast meeting highlighted a simple truth:

Every sector, every nation, and every individual has a role in the climate transition.

New Republic’s panel reminded us that progress is possible — but only if policy, business, and civil society move in sync. And as we look toward COP31 in Türkiye, the stakes grow higher, but so do the opportunities.

The next chapter of global climate action is being written right now. And we are ready to play our part.