The COP31 Climate Summit opened in Antalya with a call for global unity and urgent implementation. Leaders emphasized the need for immediate, concrete action to combat the worsening climate crisis and protect vulnerable nations worldwide.
COP31 Summit Opens in Antalya
Leaders converging on the Turkish Riviera town of Antalya opened the talks for the 31st Conference of Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) with the Turkish word, ‘İmece’. “In Belém, Brazil shared the spirit of mutirão with us. A powerful expression of that same spirit has been part of our culture for centuries: İmece, it means everyone doing their part when the task is too great for one person alone. It means sharing hope as well as sharing the burden,” COP31 President Murat Kurum said in his opening statement. “That is the spirit our world needs now. Every country has knowledge to contribute. Every society has experience. Every generation has energy. Every institution has capacity. We need them all. Years from now, we want Antalya to be remembered above all for the work that began here, more than for the words spoken here,” he added. Guided by the spirit of imece, said Kurum, “let us open the way together: from dialogue to consensus, from consensus to action, from action to implementation, and from implementation to people’s lives.”
In his statement, Kurum noted that the signs from the climate crisis were unmistakable across the world. “Extreme heat is straining cities, agriculture and human health all at once. The world’s message is unmistakable: each crisis makes the others worse. Climate shapes our food supply. Food influences migration. Energy shapes the economy. Economic fragility affects the ability of societies to withstand shocks,” he said. “That is why climate policy today is also development policy. It is food policy. Energy policy. Urban policy. Health policy. Above all, it is how we protect humanity’s future. That is what has brought us to Antalya. As crises feed off one another, we must make sure our solutions strengthen one another too.”
Türkiye’s Role and Global Initiatives
Türkiye, according to Kurum, has long served as a bridge. “We are ready to take on that responsibility again. Our aim is to find common ground that reflects the expectations of North and South, of developed and developing countries. Together with Australia, we are ready to ensure the Pacific is heard and to help find solutions to the challenges facing vulnerable countries. We know that delay carries one of the heaviest costs in climate action.” He mentioned the Zero Waste Movement led by Turkiye’s First Lady Emine Erdoğan, which “makes conserving resources, cutting waste, improving efficiency and taking responsibility part of everyday life”. Kurum also mentioned Turkiye’s 35-by-35 Global Electrification Pledge under which, “we aim to raise electricity’s share of final energy consumption to 35 per cent by 2035”. Kurum emphasised that COP31 should be an Implementation COP.
UN Climate Chief’s Call for Action
Meanwhile, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell, stressed similar themes in his opening remarks. “Since forging the Paris Agreement together, we’ve sent signal after signal to political systems and global markets. That changed our world. 90% of large renewable projects are now cheaper than fossil fuel alternatives. And adaptation is moving from the margins to the mainstream. But progress is nowhere near far enough or fair enough. So, as well as sending signals, COP31 must supercharge solutions. Breaking down existing global targets and national plans into component steps,” said Stiell. He also mentioned the partnership between Turkiye and Australia in hosting the summit. “Doing things differently includes this year’s unique partnership between Türkiye and Australia: Driving solutions across both the negotiations and the Action Agenda. I sincerely thank our gracious hosts, and commend the COP31 President, Minister Murat Kurum, for your clear Action Agenda calls.”
Stiell warned that global heating is already costing the Earth, with the appalling tragedy of the Rasuwa-Bhotekoshi floods having hit the Himalayas in Nepal, adding to the ever-expanding catalogue hitting communities across every region. “A monster El Niño is piling fuel on the climate fire that’s already burning through communities and economies everywhere. The vulnerable everywhere pay the highest price – underscored by the Pre-COP in Fiji, in partnership with Australia and Pacific islands. Profound injustice threatens our solidarity and collective progress. Frustration is palpable. Fairness must be at the heart of a truly global shift to clean energy and resilience. Because it is right. And because it serves every countries’ interests: to limit global heating, and protect every community and every economy,” said Stiell. He also made mention of developing countries, noting that, “Many developing countries have not been able to engage fully with the Action Agenda. That means they’re missing out. Missing out on the chance to harness its benefits to build resilience and transition to clean energy. We must help them to do so. So, I invite all countries – on a voluntary basis – to communicate focal points to me, who the Secretariat can keep up to date on Action Agenda progress and opportunities.”
Stiell concluded that no COP is a silver bullet. “No single conference can bridge the chasm between the science and reality. We must deal with the world as it is, not as we might wish it to be. Every recent COP has delivered strides forward. This one must too. A climate solutions step-up creates a real chance for faster progress. We have a responsibility to take it. Friends, this is what the era of implementation looks like. So let’s get to work.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)