Turkey and Australia Launch COP31 Climate Summit in Antalya
Turkey and Australia open the COP31 climate summit in Antalya to secure global electrification commitments and climate finance for poor nations.
The 31st Conference of Parties (COP31) to the United Nations climate negotiations opens on November 9, 2026, in Antalya, Turkey. Co-hosted by Turkey and led by Australian negotiators, the summit aims to implement transitions away from fossil fuels and secure climate finance for developing nations.
Chris Bowen, Australia's climate change and energy minister and the summit's president of negotiations, is pushing for a global commitment to increase the share of final energy demand met by electricity to 35% by 2035. The talks proceed as scientists warn that global warming has already surpassed the 1.5-degree Celsius threshold.
The summit faces significant hurdles due to the absence of the United States under President Donald Trump, which creates a void in financial contributions and accountability. Simultaneously, the European Union has indicated that any further climate finance commitments must originate from outside the bloc to prevent an undue burden on European nations, despite the European Commission increasing its climate finance spending to €33 billion in 2025.
