COP31 opens in Antalya, Turkey, with representatives from 196 countries expected to discuss climate action, fossil fuels, and support for vulnerable nations. (Foto: Instagram)
The 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP31, opens Monday, Nov. 9, in Antalya, Turkey, with representatives from 196 countries. Ahead of the official opening, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres urged leaders to meet the challenges before them. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is also expected to take part in the conference.
Guterres warned that the world has entered a new era of extreme weather, as an unusually strong El Niño develops alongside a planet already overheated by human-driven climate change. He said the combination of meteorological conditions and human activity has left the planet in a more vulnerable phase.
The conference aims to turn recent instability in oil and gas markets into momentum for a global shift to cleaner energy. But negotiations begin amid deep disagreements among countries over the future of fossil fuels and how quickly they should be phased out. Guterres said leaders should cut emissions faster, advance a fair transition away from fossil fuels, and ensure vulnerable countries receive the funding and protection they need.
Guterres’s remarks coincided with the release of the World Meteorological Organization’s latest report on the global climate. The report says 2026 is part of an extended run of record-high temperatures and describes accelerating glacier loss and rising sea levels. It also identifies an exceptionally intense El Niño episode, which is expected to add to global warming and increase the frequency of severe weather events through 2027.
Over the coming weeks, COP31 negotiations are expected to focus on new funding to address loss and damage in developing countries, as well as stricter guidelines for financing the transition to clean energy. The challenge for delegates in Antalya will be to turn scientists’ warnings into binding political decisions.
