Companies such as Limak, IC Holding and Sinpaş, which have ruined forests in Akbelen for coal and sacrificed the coastline in Marmaris for profit, were among the holding companies named as ‘climate supporters’ of the summit. Cengiz Holding, meanwhile, was listed among the ‘implementation partners’.

15.10.2026 11:49

Giriş: 15.10.2026 11:49

Güncelleme: 15.10.2026 11:51

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Citizens had launched a resistance campaign against Limak and IC Holding to protect the Akbelen Forest. Photo: DepoPhotos

İlayda Sorku

The perpetrators of the devastation caused by the AKP’s environmental policies are now in the spotlight at the climate summit. The sponsors of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), to be held in Antalya from 9 to 20 November under Turkey’s hosting, have been announced. Among the summit’s climate sponsors are companies that have long been in the news for causing ecological destruction. Akbelen Forest, which has been plundered by Limak Holding and IC Holding, and Marmaris, whose coastline has been concreted over by Sinpaş, are listed under the heading ‘Climate Supporters’ on the official COP31 website.

Climate supporters are defined as ‘stakeholders who share the summit’s vision and contribute to climate action’. However, the track record of the companies on the list exposed the contradiction underlying the government's green transition rhetoric.

THEY DESTROYED AKBELEN

Limak Holding and IC Holding, listed among COP31’s climate supporters, were the main perpetrators of the destruction in the Akbelen Forest in the Milas district of Muğla. YK Enerji, a joint venture of the two holding companies, took action to expand the mining site in order to supply coal to the Yeniköy and Kemerköy thermal power stations. Despite years of resistance by farmers and environmental activists, the Akbelen Forest was felled in 2023 under a gendarmerie blockade. Thousands of trees were destroyed, and the region’s ecological integrity suffered a severe blow.

BURIED MARMARIS IN CONCRETE

Another notable name on the list is Sinpaş. The hotel and timeshare project being carried out by the holding’s subsidiary, Kızılbük GYO, in the Marmaris district of Muğla has long been one of the symbols of coastal plunder. Kızılbük Bay, situated within the boundaries of Marmaris National Park, has become a target for concrete development under the guise of tourism investment. In this area, where natural habitats have been opened up to development, allegations regarding repeated dynamite blasts, the dumping of excavated material into the sea and the discharge of waste water have repeatedly come to the fore.

THEN THERE ARE THE PARTNERS

The showcase of capital created by the AKP for COP31 is not limited to climate advocates alone. On the summit’s official website, Cengiz Holding, which targets living spaces through mining activities from Çanakkale to Artvin was also listed among the ‘Implementing Partners’.

Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Talanın failleri COP31’e ‘destekçi’, published in BirGün newspaper on October 15, 2026.