Antalya (Turkey) (AFP) – Starting Monday, the Turkish city of Antalya will host the major annual climate event, COP31, in a world plagued by disturbing indicators and with very broad issues on the table, such as fossil fuels, climate finance and the energy crisis.

First modification: 06/11/2026 - 09:49

Delegations from nearly 200 nations will meet in Turkey from November 9 to 20, in a meeting in which no major transversal agreements are expected, but an "agenda of action" on various issues at the Turkish initiative. The management will be two-headed and Australia will pilot the negotiations.

Scientific studies in recent weeks have abounded in worrying indicators, such as the record high greenhouse gas concentrations in 2025. The deadly flood in Nepal in August and the tens of thousands of deaths in Europe due to extreme heat were a reminder of the consequences.

The most ambitious goal of the 2015 Paris Agreement, containing the global temperature increase to 1.5ºC compared to the pre-industrial era, is also in danger.

The UN has warned that this threshold could be exceeded in the coming years and even reach +2.6 ºC in this century.

"This is the first COP where it is clear beyond a reasonable doubt that the world will exceed the 1.5ºC target," said Turkish Environment Minister and conference president Murat Kurum.

"The 1.5º objective remains our compass," he added. "In Antalya we will have to begin to respond to the new realities" derived from temporarily exceeding that limit.

"Science still tells us that we can return" below that threshold, says Ana Aguilar, Panama's chief negotiator.

- Electrification, oceans, waste

No major binding agreements are expected at the meeting. "It will not be the COP that changes the world," but "it is an important conference" that should consolidate "progress," said Paul Watkinson, France's former chief negotiator.

The Turkish presidency has proposed an agenda of ten topics on a voluntary basis, such as better waste management to reduce methane emissions and greater inclusion of the oceans in the climate plans of different countries.

Ankara's star proposal is to increase the electrification of transportation, construction and industry to improve efficiency and emit less gas.

The goal is for the share of electricity in global energy consumption to reach 35% by 2035.

An objective that has broad support, but that environmentalists qualify. "It is not enough to electrify, if there is not at least 75% of renewable sources" in the equation, warns Anna Cárcamo, climate policy specialist at Greenpeace Brazil.

Fossil fuels

On the fossil fuel front, no binding commitment is expected a priori.

But Brazil, which will send its re-elected president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, will defend its roadmap to abandon them progressively and according to the circumstances of each country, presented this week.

"The transition is inevitable, so start planning for it now, and as soon as possible, because that will be good for your country, your society and your economy," said Ana Toni, director of COP30 held last year in Belém.

Ankara will promote electrification as a reinforced way to include renewables in energy consumption and reduce fossil fuels.

Türkiye shares its dependence on coal with Australia. The oceanic country is the second largest exporter of this polluting raw material, a paradox that will be the subject of attention.

"As a rich country and producer of fossil fuels, Australia should set an example," lambasts Kathryn McCallum of the Climate Action Network (CAN).

This activist criticizes, for example, that the current government of Anthony Albanese has approved dozens of projects related to gas, oil and coal since 2022.

A European source indicated that one of the hot spots will be developing countries' access to the money they need to adapt to climate change, with tasks such as diversifying crops, protecting themselves from rising sea levels or developing early warnings of catastrophes.

Many countries complain about the debt generated by many of the current mechanisms, and the barrier posed by the distrust of private actors when it comes to investing.

"The instruments that we have traditionally received have been debt-based, that has been a great characteristic that Latin America has had," criticizes Ana Aguilar from Panama, who demands greater access to so-called concessional financing, that is, lines of credit with minimum interest.

© 2026 AFP

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