Methane cuts and climate-resilient cities are also agenda items
Turkish Environment Minister and COP31 President Murat Kurum announced an “Action Agenda” that includes reducing methane, a greenhouse gas, and building climate-resilient cities, among other things. Electrification is the agenda’s central theme, with an aim of increasing the use of electricity—preferably from renewable sources such as solar and wind—from 21% to 35% by 2035 to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.
Kurum has said he wants COP31 to focus on turning previous climate commitments into action rather than establishing new targets. Delegates in Antalya will come under pressure to develop new pledges for climate action while implementing previous promises.
World leaders, delegates and climate activists are scheduled to begin negotiations on Monday in the Turkish Mediterranean resort city of Antalya during the Nov. 9-20 United Nations Conference of the Parties, known as COP31. Associated Press reported that climate change in the last year had led to rising temperatures, deadly heat waves in Europe and beyond, and had played a role in disasters such as the devastating floods in Nepal.
Climate scientists say the global average temperature rise since the early 1800s will exceed 1.5 C (2.7 F). Limiting temperature rise to that threshold was a goal established during the 2015 Paris Agreement, and it has remained a focus of international climate negotiations since then. Associated Press reported that the goal is no longer realistic, which underscores how difficult it has been to cut the greenhouse-gas emissions released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal are burned, leading to climate change.
Kurum said, “This is the first COP where it is clear beyond a reasonable doubt that the world will overshoot the 1.5-degree target,” and added, “We will not look away, and we will not lower our ambition.”
The last two summits, COP30 in Brazil and COP29 in Azerbaijan, came under criticism for ending with little agreement on how to reduce greenhouse emissions. The final texts of those agreements did not mention fuels, while delegates at COP28 in Dubai agreed to transition away from fossil fuels.
U.N. Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell said, “No single COP is a silver bullet that can stop climate change overnight,” and added, “But every recent COP has made essential progress. COP31 in Antalya will, too.”
In a change from previous summits, COP31 is being jointly organized by Turkey and Australia after the two countries disputed which should host. As a compromise, Turkey is the official host, while Australia is leading the negotiations. Both countries have faced criticism for their strong reliance on coal.
Associated Press described the United States as the world’s second-largest polluter after China and reported that the country will again be absent from COP31. During his first term, and again when he took office for a second time in January 2025, President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from climate negotiations.
During the scheduled negotiations, delegates are expected to take up the issue of helping poorer countries pay to adapt to rising temperatures and extreme weather events, both tied to climate change, and transition away from fossil fuels.
Associated Press reported that the war in Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, pushing up global prices of gasoline and oil and myriad products made with them, such as fertilizers and pesticides. The disruption has pushed governments to rethink energy policies in both the short and long term, including increased investment in renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.
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