High-stakes climate talks involving representatives from close to 190 countries begin on Monday in Turkey for the Cop31 summit. The meeting opens as the world deals with the strongest El Niño weather system on record, which scientists note is supercharged by fossil fuels and projected to cost trillions of dollars in damage.
Focus on Implementation and Finance
The summit will feature dual hosts, taking place in the Turkish city of Antalya while formal negotiations are presided over by Australia following a compromise last year. Chris Bowen, Australia’s climate and energy minister and president of negotiations, told The Guardian that the summit must deliver tangible results focused on implementation rather than mere promises.
Australia also aims to highlight the vulnerabilities of low-lying Pacific nations, noting that a very small fraction of global climate finance currently reaches small island developing states. However, more than 500 scientists and climate advocates in Australia have argued that the country must halt approvals for new coalmines and gas projects to avoid accusations of hypocrisy.
Friction is anticipated between wealthy and developing nations regarding greenhouse gas emissions reductions and the financing of climate impacts. Adão Soares Barbosa, chair of the Least Developed Countries negotiating group, stated that fulfilling commitments and protecting vulnerable populations are matters of survival rather than political choices.
Absences and International Context
The United States will not send a delegation to the summit for the second consecutive year, with a White House spokesperson stating the administration rejects extremist climate policies. Despite this, 20 Democratic members of Congress traveled to Antalya following recent midterm successes that empower them to resist efforts to dismantle pollution regulations.
Civil society groups and developing nations are pushing for climate justice to take center stage. Rukiya Khamis, east Africa programme manager for 350.org, told The Guardian that vulnerable communities continue to suffer the devastating effects of prolonged droughts and floods without adequate financial support.
Global temperatures have already surpassed the 1.5C limit set in the 2015 Paris agreement, and recent months have seen deadly heatwaves in Europe, severe wildfire smoke in North America, and a catastrophic glacier collapse in Nepal. Despite slow progress on emissions cuts, UN climate chief Simon Stiell noted that many economies now view climate action as essential for job creation and affordable energy.
Turkey aims to promote a target for 35% of global final energy to come from electricity by 2035, though the proposal faces opposition. Both host countries remain heavily reliant on fossil fuels, and Australia’s government faces domestic political pressure from rightwing parties attempting to scrap net zero emissions goals.
