Türkiye Hosts COP31 as Australia Leads Negotiations

The 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) opened on 9 November 2026 in Antalya, Türkiye, and runs until 20 November. It is the first time Türkiye has hosted the conference. The venue is the Antalya EXPO Center in Soğucaksu. Murat Kurum, Türkiye’s Minister for Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, is COP31 President. Australia is leading negotiations, with Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen presiding over them.

Implementation agenda and summit participants

Kurum has called COP31 an “Implementation COP”, aiming to turn previous climate commitments into action. He reaffirmed the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Türkiye’s “35-by-35” Global Electrification Pledge aims to raise electricity’s share of final energy consumption to 35% by 2035.

About 102 leaders, representing 95 countries and seven international organisations, are attending. The World Leaders’ Summit is scheduled for 11 and 12 November.

WMO climate update

On 9 November, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released its WMO State of the Climate Update 2026. It says 2015–2026 is on course to be the warmest 12-year period on record, with 2023–2026 set to rank as the four warmest years. The global average surface temperature for January–September 2026 was about 1.47°C above the pre-industrial average. The figure is likely to rise by year-end as El Niño intensifies; it is expected to be the strongest on record by December.

Important Facts for Exams

• Consensus rule: Final COP texts require agreement by consensus among the parties, the stated rule for adopting conference outcomes.
• Presidency rotation: The five UN regional groups ideally nominate a country to host a COP and provide its president, although those roles have sometimes been split.
• Five-year pledge cycle: Under the Paris Agreement, national contributions are registered with the UNFCCC Secretariat every five years, and each new contribution is expected to raise ambition.
• Global stocktake: The Paris Agreement’s Global Stocktake assesses progress, and its findings are intended to inform parties’ next nationally determined contributions.