COP31 Opens in Türkiye With Focus on Climate Delivery

The United Nations’ COP31 climate conference opened in Antalya, Türkiye, on November 9, with governments expected to focus on carrying out existing climate commitments, climate finance and the transition to cleaner energy. The talks are scheduled to run through November 20, but no negotiated outcomes are reported yet.

Türkiye is hosting the summit, while Australia is steering the negotiations under a shared leadership arrangement. More than 90,000 participants are expected, according to one report, and world leaders are due to meet on November 11 and 12. The agenda includes emissions cuts, electrification, methane reduction and measures to help cities withstand climate impacts.

Finance is expected to be a major point of debate, particularly the availability of support for developing countries and access to funds for adaptation. A United Nations report described in conference coverage found that 127 new national climate plans, submitted by 154 parties to the Paris Agreement between January 2024 and August 2026, cover about 70% of global greenhouse-gas emissions. The plans are intended to set out national climate action, but the summit’s central challenge is turning commitments...