COP31 leaders demand accelerated action as warming intensifies

Leaders opening the COP31 climate conference in Antalya have called for faster action against global warming, warning that escalating extreme weather and rising economic pressures are exposing the gap between government commitments and their implementation.

UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell told delegates on Monday that the urgency of the climate crisis must translate into stronger practical measures. He said progress towards international climate goals remained “nowhere near fast enough”, as governments began two weeks of negotiations in Turkey.

The appeal coincided with a World Meteorological Organization assessment showing that 2026 is on course to rank among the four warmest years recorded. Average global surface temperatures between January and September were approximately 1.47C above the 1850–1900 baseline, underlining the scale of the challenge confronting negotiators.

The WMO said the 12 years from 2015 through 2026 are expected to be the warmest on record. Global mean sea level reached a new high in the satellite record, while preliminary measurements indicated that ocean heat content was heading towards a tenth consecutive annual record.

The organisation also warned that a strengthening El Niño could intensify heat, drought and heavy rainfall into 2027. Its findings placed fresh emphasis on the need for early warning systems and investment in climate resilience alongside reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

COP31, running from 9 to 20 November, is taking place amid geopolitical conflicts, volatile energy markets and growing demand for electricity. These competing pressures have complicated efforts to persuade governments to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels while protecting energy security and economic growth.

Turkey, which holds the conference presidency, is promoting an initiative to increase electricity’s share of global energy consumption to 35 per cent by 2035. The proposal seeks to replace fossil-fuel equipment with electric alternatives in transport, buildings and industry, although its emissions benefits depend heavily on how that electricity is generated.

Expanding clean power supplies, electricity networks and storage capacity will therefore be central to whether electrification delivers the reductions envisaged. Climate campaigners have cautioned that replacing combustion equipment without reducing fossil-fuel generation could weaken the environmental gains from the initiative.

The host country’s environment minister, Murat Kurum, serves as COP31 president, while Australia’s climate change and energy minister, Chris Bowen, chairs negotiations. Their responsibilities reflect an arrangement intended to combine Turkey’s hosting role with Australia’s involvement in steering the diplomatic process.

The conference will also examine the expanding energy requirements of artificial intelligence. Turkey is seeking commitments on more sustainable AI development as data centres increase electricity consumption, adding another dimension to discussions about power infrastructure and the pace of decarbonisation.

Negotiators face pressure to turn national pledges into measurable emissions reductions and secure financing for poorer countries struggling with climate impacts. The Paris Agreement aims to hold warming well below 2C above pre-industrial levels while pursuing efforts to limit the increase to 1.5C, a threshold increasingly difficult to maintain under existing policies.

The opening session preceded a separate gathering of heads of state and government scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and UN Secretary-General António Guterres are expected to address that leaders’ summit, where clean energy investment, climate finance and adaptation feature on the programme.

A high-level discussion on Wednesday is scheduled to examine the Turkish presidency’s electrification proposal, alongside a separate dialogue on industrial investment and employment. Thursday’s agenda includes negotiations-related discussions on financing implementation of the Paris Agreement and improving resilience in cities.

Nepal has called for greater attention to vulnerable mountain regions, with Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal highlighting the threats facing Himalayan communities. The country’s intervention underscores demands from exposed nations for adaptation support and measures addressing the consequences of glacier loss.

The planned leaders’ meetings will include discussions of forests, greenhouse gases other than carbon dioxide and the particular difficulties confronting mountain and Pacific communities. Organisers have also scheduled an event on expanding electricity grids, an infrastructure challenge for countries seeking to integrate more renewable generation. The programme places financing alongside technology because many developing economies face substantial borrowing costs and limited resources for protecting people and infrastructure against worsening climate hazards.

The WMO is also presenting scientific observations throughout the conference, including work on global monitoring networks and the effectiveness of weather warnings. Its programme includes sessions on extreme heat, ocean-related risks and climate information for agriculture and water management.