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World Leaders Begin COP31 Climate Talks Amid Rising Temperatures
· Confirmed
In Short: The summit comes amid rising global temperatures, deadly heat waves, and devastating floods, with climate scientists warning that global average temperature rise will exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius since the early 1800s.
World leaders, delegates, and climate activists gathered in Antalya, Turkey, on Monday for the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to address climate change and its impacts.
The summit comes amid rising global temperatures, deadly heat waves, and devastating floods, with climate scientists warning that global average temperature rise will exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius since the early 1800s.
Turkish Environment Minister Murat Kurum, COP31 president, emphasized the need to focus on implementing previous climate commitments rather than setting new targets. He announced an 'Action Agenda' that includes reducing methane emissions and building climate-resilient cities.
António Guterres, the United Nations chief, urged leaders to 'get serious' about climate change, noting that the world is entering a new reality where climate extremes are the norm.
Developing countries are seeking more discussions on financing for the goals agreed upon at the 2015 Paris climate talks. Iskander Erzini Vernoit, a veteran of many climate talks and advisor to African negotiators, said, 'After years of disappointment, developing countries want to know clearly how rich countries plan to provide the funds needed to tackle climate change.'
The summit includes a World Leaders' Summit scheduled for November 11 and 12, with high-stakes talks involving 190 countries.
U.N. Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell said, 'No single COP is a silver bullet that can stop climate change overnight, but every recent COP has made essential progress. COP31 in Antalya will, too.'
Kaveh Guilanpour, vice president of international strategies for the nonprofit Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, noted, 'There’s a whole bunch of decisions that have to be taken, but none of them on their own is going to make headlines.'
Background
The summit comes amid rising global temperatures, deadly heat waves, and devastating floods, with climate scientists warning that global average temperature rise will exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius since the early 1800s.
What's confirmed
- ANTALYA, Turkey -- World leaders, delegates and climate activists on Monday will begin negotiations on curbing climate change, which in the last year has led to rising temperatures, deadly heat waves in Europe and beyond, and has played a role in disasters like the devastating floods in Nepal.
- “We will not look away, and we will not lower our ambition.” Kurum, the COP31 president, has said that rather than establishing new targets, he wants the summit to focus on turning previous climate commitments into action.
- The stakes are high: climate scientists say global average temperature rise will exceed 1.5 C (2.7 F) since the early 1800s.
- Delegates, meeting in the Turkish Mediterranean resort city of Antalya, will come under pressure to develop new pledges for climate action while implementing previous promises.
- This U.N. climate summit, called the Conference of the Parties, or COP31, also comes as the war in Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, pushing up global prices of gasoline and oil and myriad products made with them, such as fertilizers and pesticides.
- That the goal is no longer realistic underscores how difficult it's been for the world to cut greenhouse gas emissions, which are released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels like oil, gas and coal are burned, leading to climate change.
- Since then, it's been a focus of international climate negotiations.
- He has announced an “Action Agenda” that includes reducing methane, a greenhouse gas, and building climate-resilient cities, among other things.
- “No single COP is a silver bullet that can stop climate change overnight,” said U.N. Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell.
- During his first term, and again when he took office for a second time in January 2025, President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from climate negotiations.
What's still developing
- From Western Europe to Indonesia, countries have battled wildfires throughout 2026 following record heat from climate change and El Niño The world is on course for its hottest year on record as the planet is hit with warming from climate change and El Niño, scientists have told BBC News.
- It concluded with the adoption of the Belém Package, which called for tripling adaptation finance by 2035 to help developing countries address climate impacts.
- 350.org calls on governments gathering at UN climate talks in Türkiye to turn promises into action, make polluters pay and deliver a just transition away from fossil fuels As world leaders prepare to gather in Antalya for COP31, 350.org is warning that the world cannot afford another decade of delay in transitioning away from fossil fuels.
- Bishops and Catholic Relief Services leaders urge increased climate financing, stronger support for vulnerable communities and a just transition away from fossil fuels WASHINGTON – As world leaders gather for the 31st annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), the bishops who chair committees of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) that address climate policy were joined by the president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) to call on world leaders to decisively act to protect life on our common home.
- High-stakes talks involving 190 countries begin on Monday as world grapples with El Niño supercharged by fossil fuels High-stakes talks involving 190 countries begin on Monday as world grapples with El Niño supercharged by fossil fuels The Cop31 summit must produce progress, “a tangible outcome... that people can see is real”, its host has said as scores of world leaders and representatives of close to 190 countries gather in Turkey for the UN climate talks.
- Opposition leaders have said they would boycott a panel appointed by politicians, arguing that such a process would not ensure an independent investigation.
- The leader of Myanmar’s military-backed government is traveling to Malaysia for talks with its leaders as the two Southeast Asian nations work to repatriate thousands of Myanmar nationals.
- Sydney Catholic Youth team leader Campbell Evans said World Youth Day provides a unique opportunity to strengthen bonds across the local church while connecting Sydney pilgrims with the universal church.
- The climate crisis will not wait for the world’s geopolitics to improve.
- Jakarta – Indonesia must accelerate domestic climate action, particularly in the energy and industrial sectors, to maintain its international credibility as world leaders gather for the COP31 climate summit in Türkiye, an Indonesian energy think tank said.
Sources
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