Climate & Heat Risk: Western Europe’s record heat is driving deadly wildfires and excess deaths, with Spain and France hit hard—another reminder that extreme weather is getting worse. Energy Security & Emissions: COP31 president-designate Murat Kurum backs a “35 by 35” push to get 35% of final energy from electricity by 2035, arguing electrification is the cleanest way to protect citizens amid Hormuz-linked energy shocks. Waterway Tensions: The Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint as the U.S. says it will defend freedom of navigation and rejects any idea of transit control or fees, while Iran and the region keep escalating. Cyprus Gas Pipeline: Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side signed MOUs for natural gas pipelines to northern Cyprus, aiming to shift power generation away from liquid fuel and cut environmental impacts. Biodiversity & Wildlife Monitoring: Turkey’s neighbors aren’t the only ones tracking nature—Minnesota’s DNR is inviting the public to report pheasant and wild turkey sightings to guide conservation and hunting rules. Local Aid: TIKA and Saylani’s livelihood program in Pakistan delivered 20 rickshaws to unemployed people, supporting sustainable income. Governance & Environment: A Turkish court sentenced environmental activist Esra Işık to prison, drawing condemnation and raising concerns about how environmental activism is treated.