The 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31) has opened in Antalya, Turkey, with climate leaders calling on governments to accelerate the implementation of existing commitments, expand electrification and improve access to climate finance, particularly for developing economies.
The two-week conference, scheduled to run from November 9 to 20 at the Antalya Expo Centre, brings together government representatives, climate negotiators, scientists, businesses and civil society organisations to discuss measures to address rising global temperatures and climate-related disasters.
The summit comes amid concerns about global warming, with the World Meteorological Organisation ranking 2026 among the four hottest years on record. Extreme weather events, including heatwaves, floods and droughts, are also putting pressure on economies, food systems, infrastructure and livelihoods.
Opening the conference on Monday, Simon Stiell, executive secretary of UN Climate Change, said governments must move beyond announcing climate targets and focus on translating existing commitments into measurable outcomes.
Stiell said COP31 should prioritise the implementation of agreed targets, particularly in adaptation finance, renewable energy deployment, electrification and methane emissions reduction.
He said the conference should focus on accelerating existing solutions rather than introducing additional commitments that countries may struggle to implement.
The UN climate chief called on governments to make progress towards tripling international public adaptation finance and address barriers preventing developing countries from accessing climate funding already pledged.
He also urged countries to accelerate efforts to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030 and expand electricity grids across national borders to support the transition to cleaner energy sources.
According to Stiell, combining faster electrification with reductions in methane emissions could reduce projected global warming by approximately 0.5 degrees Celsius.
The negotiations will also cover the proposed Just Transition Mechanism, adaptation, mitigation and climate finance. Countries are expected to discuss measures to support the transition to lower-carbon economies while addressing the economic and social consequences for affected communities.
Stiell said an agreement on the Just Transition Mechanism would help countries manage the economic and social implications of the energy transition.
However, efforts by African countries to secure greater attention to adaptation finance at the opening of COP31 suffered a setback after parties failed to agree on including the issue as a separate item on the conference agenda.
The African Group of Negotiators (AGN), the continent’s negotiating bloc, had pushed for the inclusion of adaptation finance to clarify the baseline for measuring the promised increase in funding and establish how additional resources would be mobilised.
Speaking at a press briefing, Antwi-Boasiako Amoah, chair of the AGN, said the proposal had received support from several parties, expressing hope that it would be included in the conference agenda.
However, delegates failed to reach a consensus during Monday’s opening plenary.
Murat Kurum, COP31 president, subsequently ruled that the proposal would not be included as a standalone agenda item. He said its exclusion would not prevent further discussions under existing agenda items.
The decision highlights the challenges developing countries face in securing specific commitments on climate finance, despite growing demands for resources to address the effects of climate change.
Other proposals also failed to secure separate places on the official agenda, including discussions on climate-related trade matters, sustainable diets, and mountains and climate.
Comoros withdrew its proposal on sustainable diets, while issues relating to mountains and climate are expected to be addressed through consultations and research dialogues in Bonn in 2027 and 2028.
A proposed standalone agenda item on funding for the Green Climate Fund was also not adopted. However, discussions on its financing are expected to take place under existing agenda items concerning the fund’s report and guidance.
Meanwhile, the seventh review of the financial mechanism was deferred to COP32.
Beyond the negotiations, Turkey’s COP31 presidency has placed climate finance and electrification at the centre of its action agenda, with an emphasis on improving developing countries’ access to capital, technology and technical expertise needed to implement their climate plans.
Kurum said extreme heat was putting pressure on cities, agriculture and public health, while climate-related disruptions were affecting food security, migration, economic activities and national security.
He said Turkey’s presidency would be guided by three principles: dialogue, consensus and action, with the aim of translating decisions reached at the conference into practical outcomes.
Kurum also stressed the need to keep the 1.5-degree Celsius temperature limit within reach and ensure that the concerns of vulnerable countries and communities are addressed in global climate discussions.
As part of its electrification agenda, the Turkish presidency is promoting the 35-by-35 Global Electrification Pledge, which seeks to increase electricity’s share of final energy consumption to 35 percent by 2035.
The initiative covers renewable energy development, electricity grids, energy storage, energy efficiency, clean transportation and industrial development.
On climate finance, Kurum referred to the agreement reached at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, where countries adopted a new climate finance goal of at least $300 billion annually for developing countries by 2035.
The agreement also called for increasing public and private climate financing to at least $1.3 trillion annually.
He said COP31 would seek to connect countries and projects requiring financing with investors and institutions through what he described as a Climate Implementation Bridge.
The initiative is intended to link climate investment opportunities with available sources of funding, particularly in developing economies where access to capital remains a constraint.
COP31 is being co-hosted by Turkey and Australia, with Turkey hosting the summit and leading the Action Agenda, while Australia’s Chris Bowen will serve as president of the negotiations.
As the conference enters its two-week programme, participating governments will face the challenge of resolving disagreements over financing, strengthening implementation arrangements and translating existing climate commitments into investments and measurable outcomes.
For developing economies facing climate-related risks, the outcome will be important in determining whether international commitments can provide the funding and support needed to strengthen