COP31 opens in Türkiye with focus on climate finance, implementation

COP31 President Murat Kurum delivering his opening address in Antalya, Türkiye.

The 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) opened in Antalya, Türkiye, on Monday, with renewed calls for countries to turn their climate promises into practical action and provide adequate financing to support vulnerable communities.

The conference president, Murat Kurum, said the summit must move beyond agreements and declarations to deliver measurable improvements in people’s lives, particularly as climate change continues to threaten food security, health, livelihoods and economic stability.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr Kurum described the conference as an “Implementation COP”, stressing that countries must work together despite growing geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty and other global challenges.

He warned that climate change could no longer be treated separately from problems such as conflict, debt, food insecurity and unequal access to finance and technology.

“Each crisis makes the others worse,” Mr Kurum said.

He said the summit should focus on closing the gap between commitments made during international negotiations and the realities faced by communities already experiencing the effects of climate change.

The two-week conference comes amid growing concerns over the slow pace of global climate action and the ability of countries to meet the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Mr Kurum reaffirmed the target as the guiding principle for international climate action, saying it “remains our guide” and that countries must be frank about what climate science demands.

The World Meteorological Organisation’s State of the Climate Update 2026, released on Monday, showed that the past 12 years have each been the warmest on record, with the last four years ranking as the four warmest.

The organisation warned that rising ocean temperatures, record sea levels and increasingly severe weather events were putting millions of people and livelihoods at risk.

Mr Kurum said delivering on climate commitments would require increased investment in renewable energy, electricity infrastructure, energy storage, clean transport and energy efficiency.

He highlighted Türkiye’s 35-by-35 Global Electrification Pledge, which seeks to increase electricity’s share of final energy consumption to 35 per cent by 2035.

He also called for countries to back their climate promises with adequate financing, recalling the agreement reached at COP29 in Baku for developed countries to mobilise at least $300 billion annually for developing countries by 2035.

The agreement also called for scaling up climate finance from all sources to at least $1.3 trillion annually.

“Now our promises must be backed by capital. That capital must fund investment. And that investment must deliver results,” he said.

Chris Bowen, COP31 President of Negotiations, said the conference offered an opportunity to demonstrate what international cooperation could achieve for climate action and global energy security.

He said discussions would focus on unlocking finance and investment, accelerating electrification and strengthening action on oceans.

“COP31 must help close the gap between commitment and delivery, and focus on real-world outcomes, investment, infrastructure, jobs, energy security and resilient communities,” Mr Bowen said.

The opening day’s thematic focus is food, agriculture and health, reflecting concerns about the growing impact of climate change on food systems, livelihoods and public health.

The programme will examine how countries can strengthen the resilience of agricultural and health systems against climate-related threats.

Among the initiatives being advanced is the Antalya Initiative for Resilient Health Systems, launched by the COP31 Presidency in collaboration with Türkiye’s Ministry of Health, the World Health Organisation and the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health.

The initiative is expected to help countries strengthen their health systems’ capacity to anticipate, adapt to and respond to climate-related health risks.

Discussions will also focus on the challenges facing farmers, particularly women and young people, in accessing the resources needed to adapt to climate change.

A high-level dialogue on women farmers, convened by the COP31 Presidency, the International Fund for Agricultural Development and Türkiye’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, will examine barriers to climate finance and launch a joint report titled ‘The Unfunded Half’.

A separate dialogue involving young farmers, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and the COP31 Presidency will consider the role of young people in transforming agricultural, water and food systems.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Climate Change Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell, called for faster climate action, warning that the economic consequences of global heating and extreme weather were already being felt by households and vulnerable communities.

He said renewable energy had saved the global economy $265 billion in the first half of 2026, arguing that climate solutions could deliver economic benefits alongside environmental protection.

“The urgency of this moment must drive us forward,” Mr Stiell said, adding that COP31 must accelerate solutions that translate climate targets into tangible outcomes.

The conference, which runs until 20 November, will host negotiations and high-level meetings in the Blue Zone, while the Green Zone will provide a platform for businesses, civil society organisations, academics and young people to showcase climate solutions.