COP31 Opens in Antalya as 100,000 Gather for Climate TalksWorld

The negotiations cover climate finance, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation to the effects of a warming planet, alongside support for workers and communities during the energy transition. A Climate Action Agenda running alongside the talks involves businesses, cities and civil society.

Official negotiating sessions are taking place in the Blue Zone, where entry is restricted to registered participants. The host country’s Green Zone is open to the public but will close to visitors during the two days of the leaders’ summit.

Türkiye, as host, is pushing electrification to the top of the agenda, with a target of 35 percent of global energy demand being met by electricity by 2035. The summit is expected to draw more than 100,000 people over its two weeks.

The conference opens as countries face pressure to turn past climate pledges into action. The United Nations has warned that the financing gap for helping developing nations cope with climate change remains large, and the talks in Antalya are expected to test whether governments are ready to close it.

Energy security is also weighing on the discussions, with the war in the Middle East adding to uncertainty over energy supplies and prices. Negotiators will have to balance those immediate pressures with the longer-term goal of cutting emissions and building cleaner energy systems.

The outcome of the conference will be watched closely by governments, businesses and campaigners alike, as the world measures progress against the goals set under the Paris Agreement more than a decade ago.

For many developing countries, the central question in Antalya is money. They want richer nations to deliver far more finance to help them build clean energy, protect their people from floods and droughts, and recover from climate disasters. The talks will also examine how the world can speed up the shift away from fossil fuels while keeping energy affordable and reliable for growing economies.