(AFP Photo)
The second and final week of the U.N.’s annual climate summit in Türkiye’s Antalya will begin on Nov. 16, with negotiators focusing on drafting a comprehensive text that could lay the groundwork for global climate commitments.
Since opening on Nov. 9, COP31 in Türkiye’s Mediterranean city has brought together world leaders and policymakers for climate talks, with Türkiye seeking to translate previous pledges into concrete targets and action.
Alongside the formal negotiations, Türkiye is promoting an “action agenda” designed to encourage countries to endorse non-binding commitments across a range of areas, from artificial intelligence to waste management.
At the heart of the initiative is an “electrification” drive aimed at increasing the share of global energy demand met by electricity from around 20 percent today to 35 percent by 2035.
Türkiye also wants electrification to feature in the summit’s “cover decision,” an overarching political statement negotiated by consensus that reflects the main outcomes of the conference.
The European Union has called for “clean” electrification, a term that could spark debate over the role of fossil fuels in the Turkish initiative.
Türkiye is presiding over COP31, while Australia is leading the negotiations under an unusual
arrangement reached to resolve a dispute over which country would host the summit.
“We have held three rounds of consultations as the Turkish and Australian teams. We have published our initial assessment document, incorporating the views of the parties. We aim to deliver a strong outcome in Antalya through ministerial-level talks next week,” Turkish Environment Minister and COP31 President Murat Kurum said during a press briefing on Nov. 14.
Our goal is clear, and we will achieve it. We will turn pledges into decisions that make a tangible difference in people’s lives,” Kurum said.
COP31 Negotiations President and Australian Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the first week of the summit saw progress on a number of issues.
Noting that the negotiations cover 160 agenda items and 60 substantive mandates and terms of reference, Bowen said consultations showed that some issues were raised by a large number of parties, while others had attracted input from fewer countries.
He said parties were asked to submit written feedback on the assessment document, adding that the negotiating teams would consolidate their views into a draft text.
Ministerial-level and heads-of-delegation discussions on the draft are scheduled for this week, Bowen said, adding that the task was to secure the most ambitious outcome possible through consensus among the parties.
The second week of COP31 is also expected to broaden the climate agenda through a series of events covering various fields alongside the formal negotiations.
Youth, education, science, artificial intelligence, green industry, marine conservation and biodiversity are also expected to feature prominently on the agenda in the coming days.
