The United Nations climate conference COP31 opened today in Antalya, Türkiye, bringing governments and other participants together for two weeks of negotiations and events on climate policy. The conference runs from November 9 to 20 and is expected to focus on formal negotiations as well as practical efforts to accelerate climate action.
Türkiye is hosting the conference, with Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum nominated as COP31 president. Australia’s Chris Bowen is serving as president of negotiations under a partnership between the two countries.
COP31 takes place amid growing pressure to move from commitments to implementation. The conference is expected to address emissions reduction, adaptation, climate finance and a just transition, alongside other issues. Its discussions also mark the start of the second Global Stocktake under the Paris Agreement, a process that assesses collective progress on climate action and is intended to inform countries’ next steps.
The division of responsibilities between Türkiye and Australia gives the conference an unusual structure. Türkiye will lead the presidency and the Action Agenda, while Australia will oversee the negotiations. The arrangement grew out of a compromise over the conference’s hosting and requires the two countries to coordinate closely throughout the meeting.
The formal talks will include COP31, the 21st meeting of the parties to the Kyoto Protocol and the eighth meeting of the parties to the Paris Agreement. The UN climate process’s scientific and implementation subsidiary bodies are also meeting in Antalya. Their work contributes to broader decisions on climate policy, implementation and international cooperation.
Among the difficult issues facing negotiators is whether to continue and strengthen the work programme on reducing emissions. Parties are also expected to discuss how to put a just transition mechanism into operation, including its functions and institutional arrangements. Those discussions follow an earlier agreement to develop such a mechanism, while leaving important details for further negotiation.
Climate finance is another central point of debate. Countries have differing views on the scope and format of a two-year work programme on climate finance, including implementation of Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement. The discussions form part of a broader effort to address how climate action can be financed and how support can reach countries that need it.
Alongside the formal negotiations, the COP31 Action Agenda is designed to highlight practical initiatives. Its priority themes include clean energy, food security, oceans and seas, climate-resilient cities, green industrialization, youth and education, waste reduction and health systems. Finance, technology and capacity-building are identified as issues that cut across these areas.
The opening day’s programme includes health, food and agriculture. The World Meteorological Organization released its State of the Climate Update 2026 in Antalya, addressing indicators such as temperatures, ocean heat, sea level and extreme weather. The report also considers climate impacts on health and food security.
The conference is taking place against a challenging international backdrop. Conflicts, economic uncertainty, energy-security concerns and strained trust among countries have complicated multilateral negotiations. These pressures may influence how far governments are willing to go in reaching agreements, even as the need to reduce climate risks and prepare for their effects remains urgent.
UN Climate Change’s 2026 Yearbook of Global Climate Action, released on the opening day, highlights progress across 44 global indicators aligned with the first Global Stocktake. The yearbook focuses on action by cities, regions, businesses and civil society. UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell said COP31 should help scale up solutions, mobilize finance and extend the benefits of climate action.
The negotiations in Antalya will test whether countries can translate those priorities into decisions and cooperation. Delegates face the task of balancing emissions reductions with adaptation, finance and support for communities navigating the transition. The conference’s outcome will depend on whether governments can reach agreement on contested issues while also advancing work beyond the negotiating rooms.
For Türkiye and Australia, the partnership places emphasis on coordinating political leadership, the Action Agenda and the formal negotiations. For the wider climate process, COP31 opens at a consequential point in the Paris Agreement cycle: the second Global Stocktake is beginning, and countries are expected to use its findings to guide further action. The two-week meeting will show how much consensus governments can build around that next phase.
