The 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31) has opened in Antalya, Turkey, with global leaders and climate negotiators calling for accelerated climate action and the implementation of existing commitments.
Gatekeepers News reports that the conference, scheduled to run from November 9 to 20 at the Antalya Expo Centre, has brought together government representatives, negotiators, scientists, civil society organisations, businesses and other stakeholders to discuss ways of translating climate pledges into practical outcomes.
COP31 is taking place amid mounting concerns over global warming, with the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) ranking 2026 among the four hottest years on record.
The climate crisis has also been intensified by increasingly frequent extreme weather events, including heatwaves, floods and droughts, while geopolitical conflicts and disruptions to energy supplies continue to place additional pressure on countries and households.
Speaking at Monday’s opening plenary, Simon Stiell, executive secretary of UN Climate Change, said COP31 must move beyond making new promises and concentrate on delivering commitments already agreed upon by countries.
He said the conference should focus on translating global targets and national climate plans into practical measures, particularly in adaptation finance, renewable energy, electrification and methane reduction.
Stiell called on countries to develop concrete strategies for fulfilling the commitment to triple international public adaptation finance, while addressing barriers preventing developing countries from accessing already pledged climate funding.
“So, as well as sending signals, COP31 must supercharge solutions. Breaking-down existing global targets and national plans into component steps,” he said.
The UN climate chief also urged countries to accelerate efforts towards tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030 and expanding cross-border electricity grids to support the transition to cleaner energy.
According to him, combining methane emission reductions with faster electrification could lower projected global warming by approximately 0.5°C.
He said negotiations would remain central to the conference, with countries expected to pursue agreements on the Just Transition Mechanism, adaptation, mitigation and climate finance.
“Agreement on the Just Transition Mechanism will make it easier for countries to bring whole societies through the transition together,” he said.
African countries push adaptation finance agenda
Stiell said agreements on adaptation should improve access to funding and establish indicators for measuring progress, while mitigation outcomes should accelerate emissions reductions across sectors and provide stronger signals to markets.
African countries, represented by the African Group of Negotiators (AGN), had pushed for the inclusion of adaptation finance as a distinct item on the COP31 agenda.
The proposal sought to clarify the baseline for measuring the promised increase in adaptation finance and establish how the additional funding would be mobilised.
Speaking at a press briefing, Antwi-Boasiako Amoah, AGN chair, said the proposal had received support from several parties, expressing optimism that it would be reflected in the conference agenda.
However, countries failed to reach consensus on the proposal during Monday’s opening plenary.
COP31 President Murat Kurum consequently said the issue would not be included in the official agenda, although its exclusion was “without prejudice” to further discussions under other agenda items.
Several other proposed issues were also left out of the official agenda, although some are expected to be addressed through alternative processes during the conference or at subsequent meetings.
Proposals to include climate-related trade issues were also unsuccessful after parties failed to reach a consensus.
Kurum said the exclusion would not prevent further discussions, adding that the chairs of the subsidiary bodies would invite submissions to inform the next dialogue on the issue in Bonn.
A proposal by Comoros to include sustainable diets on the agenda was withdrawn, while two proposed items on mountains and climate were also not adopted.
The issues are expected to be addressed through consultations by the COP31 presidency and research dialogues scheduled for Bonn in 2027 and 2028.
Similarly, a proposed standalone agenda item on funding for the Green Climate Fund (GCF) was not adopted. However, discussions on its financing are expected to take place under existing agenda items concerning the fund’s report and guidance.
The seventh review of the financial mechanism was also deferred to COP32.
Developing countries need access to climate finance, says Kurum
Speaking at the opening plenary, Kurum said extreme heat was already placing increasing pressure on cities, agriculture and public health, while climate-related disruptions were affecting food systems, migration, economies and security.
He said Turkey’s COP31 presidency would be guided by three principles — dialogue, consensus and action — with the objective of translating decisions reached at the conference into tangible results.
Kurum maintained that the 1.5°C temperature target would remain a guiding principle for the presidency, while stressing the importance of placing vulnerable countries and communities at the centre of climate discussions.
He also highlighted Turkey’s proposed “35-by-35 Global Electrification Pledge”, which seeks to increase electricity’s share of final energy consumption to 35 percent by 2035.
The initiative is expected to bring together renewable energy development, stronger electricity grids, energy storage, energy efficiency, clean transportation and green industrialisation.
Kurum said developing countries needed timely access to climate finance, technology and technical expertise to implement their climate plans.
At the previous climate conference in Baku, countries agreed to a new climate finance target of at least $300 billion annually for developing countries by 2035, alongside a call to scale up public and private climate financing to at least $1.3 trillion annually.
Kurum said COP31 would seek to connect countries and projects requiring funding with investors and institutions capable of providing the necessary capital.
He described the proposed approach as a “Climate Implementation Bridge”.
This year’s climate summit is being co-hosted by Turkey and Australia, with Turkey hosting the conference and leading the Action Agenda, while Australia’s Chris Bowen serves as president of the negotiations.
As the two-week conference begins, attention will focus on whether participating countries can translate existing climate commitments into concrete action quickly enough to address the worsening impacts of global warming.
