COP31 Leaders Call for Climate Justice and Faster Action

At COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, leaders called for faster emissions cuts and support for climate-vulnerable countries amid growing acknowledgment that the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C warming limit will be breached. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres urged a Climate Justice Compact for a just shift from fossil fuels, protection from climate impacts, increased climate finance and international cooperation; he said developing economies outside China receive less than one-fifth of global clean-energy investment and often face much higher borrowing costs. Brazil’s and Türkiye’s leaders warned that wars and trade disputes must not overshadow climate action as negotiators seek an energy transition amid a shock linked to the Iran war; the absence of leaders from the United States, China and India, which together account for more than half of global CO₂ emissions, raised concerns about political commitment. A voluntary proposal to raise electricity’s share of global energy use to 35% by 2035 drew criticism as modest, while fossil-fuel phaseout remained contentious, including criticism of Australia’s coal and gas expansion and Türkiye’s fossil-fuel power reliance. Research presented at the summit found land regions have warmed close to levels expected in a 1.5°C world and government-owned power plants have been slower than investor-owned plants to cut emissions in response to many policies; U.N. climate chief Simon Stiell also warned of climate-linked inflation, pollution and heat deaths. Greta Thunberg criticized the talks as hypocritical and influenced by lobbyists, while advocates including speakers from Bangladesh called for stronger cooperation and a fair transition that protects vulnerable communities and workers; the EU’s emissions fell in 2025 while Italy’s rose, prompting the European Commission to demand a corrective plan.