Turkey chairs the UN climate summit, Australia leads the talks: from Monday nearly 200 countries meet in Antalya
COP31 is mainly meant to deliver on earlier agreements, while the UN expects warming of 2.6 to 2.8 degrees by 2100.
The 31st UN climate conference takes place in Antalya, Turkey, from 9 to 20 November. It is an unusual arrangement, VRT NWS writes: Turkey is the host and Turkish environment minister Murat Kurum chairs the summit, but Australia leads the negotiations. The compromise came after both countries wanted to host; Australia already held a preparatory meeting in Fiji and Tuvalu last month. Belgium negotiates within the European Union and is sending ministers Crucke and Depraetere.
No major new pledges are expected. VRT NWS and the ANP news agency describe a summit mainly meant to ensure earlier targets are actually met. One proposal on the table is for electricity to make up at least 35 percent of the energy mix by 2035. Observers are also watching the US delegation after the midterm elections and the impact of the sharp rise in oil and gas prices since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
La Libre sets out the UN figures. If all countries keep their latest pledges, the planet will warm by 2.6 degrees above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century, and by 2.8 degrees under current policies. The 1.5-degree limit will be crossed around 2030. To fall back below it afterwards, emissions would have to drop 45 percent by 2035 compared with 2025, whereas current plans add up to 15 percent. The CO2 concentration reached 426.8 ppm last year.
Money remains a sticking point too. According to the UN, developing countries will need 305 billion dollars a year by 2035 to adapt to the effects of warming, while the fund for that purpose currently holds around 30 billion dollars.