COP31 climate summit convenes in Antalya, Turkey

Nearly 200 countries have gathered in Antalya, Turkey, for the two-week COP31 climate summit, running from November 9 to 20, 2026. The conference, presided over by Turkey with Australia facilitating negotiations, faces a challenging environment defined by energy market instability following the war in Iran, surging demand for AI infrastructure, and rising global temperatures that threaten to exceed the 1.5-degree Celsius threshold established by the 2015 Paris Agreement.

The central objective of the Turkish presidency is a pledge to electrify over one-third of the global economy by 2035. During the opening sessions, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the world is currently on a path to "mutually assured destruction" due to slow climate action. Leaders from Brazil and Turkey emphasized that global conflicts and trade disputes must not derail efforts to combat greenhouse gas emissions. The summit focuses heavily on implementation of previous commitments from COP28 and COP30 rather than the creation of new promises.

Delegates continue to seek an agreement to accelerate the shift away from fossil fuels. Despite the urgency expressed by officials, observers remain skeptical about achieving a strong consensus given the competing political and economic pressures, including record inflation and international security crises.