Turkish villagers demand COP31 leaders see for themselves devastation caused by coal

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Villagers in İkizköy, Turkey, are urging leaders attending COP31 to visit communities affected by decades of lignite mining. The UN climate conference in Antalya is set to discuss the transition to cleaner energy.

By Ali Kucukgocmen IKIZKOY, Turkey, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Local official Nejla Isik is among the villagers living beside a coal mine who demand that world leaders gathering in Turkey for COP31 climate talks leave the conference venue to inspect the devastation decades of lignite extraction have caused. Beginning on Monday, the transition to cleaner energy will be among the themes at the UN conference that continues until November 20 in Antalya on Turkey's Mediterranean coast.