Murat Kurum is a Turkish civil engineer and the Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change. He has held various positions in the fields of environment, urbanization and urban transformation. Kurum served as Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change between 2018 and 2023, was elected as a Member of Parliament for Istanbul in the 28th term of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, and chaired the Parliamentary Environment Committee. As of 2024, he is serving his second term as Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change.

Education

Murat Kurum was born on 7 May 1976 in Çankaya, Ankara. He completed his primary education in Ankara and Mardin. He graduated from the Department of Civil Engineering at Konya University and earned his master’s degree in Urban Transformation.

Professional Career

Between 1999 and 2005, Kurum worked on dozens of construction sites across various regions of Türkiye.

From 2005 to 2006, he served as an expert at the TOKİ Ankara Implementation Directorate. After holding various other positions within TOKİ, he assumed the role of General Manager of Emlak Konut GYO AŞ starting in 2009.

During his tenure at Emlak Konut, the two largest public offerings in the history of the Republic of Türkiye were conducted.

Ministerial Term

Murat Kurum was appointed Minister of Environment and Urbanization in 2018 by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a member of the first cabinet under the Presidential System of Government. Throughout his ministerial term, Kurum, together with his entire team, worked with great sensitivity to develop cities through a new urbanization approach that promoted both development and resilience while safeguarding the environment. He actively contributed to projects such as social housing and national parks, and carried out dedicated efforts in disaster-affected regions. During his tenure, he also made significant efforts to promote the Zero Waste philosophy, initiated under the patronage of Emine Erdoğan.

On 2 July 2024, Murat Kurum was reappointed as Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change.

The Campaign of the Age: Reconstruction

Following the earthquakes of 6 February, Minister Kurum coordinated the “Campaign of the Age: Reconstruction” and personally monitored progress through frequent site visits. During all his visits to the earthquake-affected provinces, he presided over Provincial Disaster Coordination meetings, where he identified local needs firsthand in the presence of representatives from all political parties and municipal mayors.

Honorary Citizenship of the Earthquake Region

Minister Kurum’s efforts to rebuild devastated cities with a non-partisan perspective earned him a series of honorary citizenship titles from the affected region. Municipal councils voted overwhelmingly to confer these honorary citizenship honors upon him.

To date, Murat Kurum has been granted honorary citizenship of Gaziantep, Malatya, Hatay, Elazığ and Osmaniye.

In Osmaniye, it was decided that the newly constructed neighborhood after the earthquake would be named “Murat Kurum Bey Mahallesi”.

Social Housing Projects

Social housing projects initiated under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to enable low-income citizens to become homeowners have been coordinated by Minister Kurum. Most recently, he is overseeing the “Housing Project of the Century,” which aims to construct 500,000 housing units across all 81 provinces. This “biggest social housing step in Türkiye,” under the slogan “Homeowner Türkiye,” will provide more than two million citizens with safe and secure homes.

Türkiye’s Presidency of COP31

Minister Kurum has been a pioneer in Türkiye’s efforts to combat climate change. He represented Türkiye at the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, held in Belém, Brazil, on 19 November 2025. Through two years of diplomatic engagement and five days of negotiations, he secured outcomes favorable to Türkiye, leading to the decision that COP31, to be held in 2026, will be hosted and presided over by Türkiye.

Thus, Türkiye has become, for the first time, the president and host of the global platform that determines the world’s climate policies.

Murat Kurum has also led the implementation of numerous innovative urban initiatives, including the enactment of Türkiye’s first climate law, and the development of climate-resilient and smart cities.

Personal Life

Murat Kurum is married and a father of three children. He speaks English.