COP31 climate talks open in Antalya as Guterres warns of 'moment of truth'
The 31st UN climate talks are being held in Antalya, Turkey, from November 9 to 20. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called the moment critical for action on global warming.
- COP31 runs from November 9 to 20 in Antalya, Turkey, with Australia leading the negotiations.
- Guterres, who is leaving office, called it a 'moment of truth' on global warming, Arab News reported.
- The UN says limiting warming to 1.5C is no longer possible; projections show up to 2.6C.
- Fossil fuel phaseout remains the main point of disagreement.
The 31st UN climate conference, COP31, opens in Antalya, Turkey, and runs from November 9 to 20. Delegates from almost every country are attending, DW reported, and Australia will lead the negotiations.
Arab News reported that UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who is departing his post, described the talks as a critical 'moment of truth' for action on global warming. He urged world leaders to fight for the planet, and reflected on a decade of advocacy on the issue.
DW said extreme weather is raising pressure on delegates. Europe faced severe drought, extreme heat, wildfires and record-low water levels in its main waterways this summer. In late August, flash floods triggered by a rock-ice avalanche in Nepal and Tibet killed more than 1,400 people and left thousands missing. Climate experts have linked that disaster to melting ice and a warming climate.
The scientific picture is difficult. The UN has concluded it is no longer possible to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and global carbon emissions are still rising. The latest UN projections show a rise of up to 2.6C even if current climate commitments are fully implemented.
There is still no consensus on whether and how to move rapidly away from fossil fuels. An agreement on a similar plan failed at the 2025 summit because of opposition from several oil-producing states. Saudi Arabia has repeatedly blocked final agreements that include phaseout plans, and China may oppose the idea, as it traditionally rejects outside demands on its energy policy, according to DW. German Environment Minister Carsten Schneider said Germany and the EU want to build new momentum for a global phaseout.
All COP agreements need unanimous support, so individual states can block sweeping resolutions. Wars, trade conflicts and economic problems are also complicating the talks. David Victor of the University of California San Diego sees smaller alliances of governments and companies as a better route to change. He said: 'There's no question that we could be doing more'.
Turkey and Australia have listed green industrialisation and the clean energy transition among their aims. One goal is to raise electricity's share of global energy consumption to 35% by 2035, from around 20% today. An International Energy Agency analysis found faster electrification could cut fuel-importing countries' energy bills by more than $400 billion by 2035 compared with 2025 levels. Loss and damage from climate change is calculated in the hundreds of billions of dollars, with vulnerable countries worst hit.
Why it matters
Pakistan is among the countries most exposed to climate disasters, so the outcome of these talks affects its climate funding and adaptation. DW notes that loss and damage from climate change runs into the hundreds of billions of dollars, with vulnerable countries worst hit. The IEA analysis says faster electrification could cut energy bills for fuel-importing countries by more than $400 billion by 2035.
