COP31 Opens in Antalya with Implementation, Climate Finance and Super Pollutant Action in Focus

Addis Ababa, November 11, 2026 (ENA)— World leaders and delegations from nearly 200 countries have gathered in Türkiye’s Mediterranean city of Antalya for the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31).

The summit places climate finance, implementation of climate commitments, the energy transition and action against super pollutants high on the global agenda.

 

The two-week conference, running from November 9 to 20, brings together governments and other stakeholders to advance international cooperation, strengthen climate commitments and accelerate practical responses to the escalating climate crisis.

The high-level political discussions are taking place during the November 11–12 COP31 Leaders’ Summit, which brings together heads of state and government to mobilize political commitment and advance collective climate action.

Addressing the gathering, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the slow international response to climate change was putting the world on a path toward destruction, calling for urgent and more ambitious action to avert its worst consequences.

 

“The climate crisis is outrunning us. This is the path to mutually assured destruction,” Guterres said, pointing to rising greenhouse gas emissions, increasing global temperatures and worsening climate-related disasters.

He stressed that the scientific evidence calls for intensified action rather than surrender, urging world leaders to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels.

The summit's agenda places particular emphasis on clean energy transition and electrification, green industrial development, climate finance, implementation of the Paris Agreement, urban resilience and climate adaptation.

Beyond the broader energy transition, reducing methane and other super pollutants is emerging as a critical component of efforts to slow global warming and improve public health.

Rapid reductions in these pollutants can help limit near-term warming and reduce the magnitude and duration of temperature overshoot, complementing deep cuts in carbon dioxide emissions.

There is also a significant economic case for accelerating action.

According to the UN Environment Programme's Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) Hidden Assets assessment, every 1 USD invested in integrated climate and clean air action could generate approximately 15 USD in benefits, including improved public health, agricultural productivity and economic growth.

 

However, only 0.5% of global climate mitigation finance currently goes toward reducing super pollutants, highlighting a significant financing gap and the need to scale up investment in this area.

Against this backdrop, the CCAC launched its COP31 programme, bringing together government representatives, development banks, research institutions and industry partners to advance practical solutions in areas including clean air in national climate plans, wastewater emissions, open waste burning, public health and sustainable fertilizers.

Türkiye, as COP31 President, is leading the conference's Action Agenda, which emphasizes practical cooperation in areas such as electrification, methane mitigation and waste management, while Australia is chairing the formal negotiations.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is participating in the summit as Ethiopia advances its international climate engagement and preparations to host COP32 in Addis Ababa in November 2027.

 

The Antalya Leaders’ Summit, held under the theme “Towards a Sustainable, Resilient and Equitable Future,” provides a high-level political platform for aligning national priorities, strengthening partnerships and translating global climate commitments into concrete action.