Climate talks open in Turkey as the US sits out
Delegates from nearly 200 countries opened the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Turkey, on Monday, and the United States has no official presence there.
By Standard Topic. AI-generated from the reporting listed under Coverage. Published . Updated .
What happened
Delegates from nearly 200 countries opened the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Turkey, on Monday, and the United States has no official presence there. At the opening, Australia's climate change minister, Chris Bowen, who is president of the negotiations, said the world can still limit global heating to 1.5C if countries act urgently and cooperate.
Why it matters
Negotiators are being pushed toward concrete decisions on climate finance and clean energy rather than broad declarations. The summit's host has said it must deliver progress that people can see is real.
Timeline
- Nov 9, 10:34 AM ET: The 31st UN Climate Change Conference, known as COP31, opened in Antalya, Türkiye, with leaders calling for faster action on climate change.
- Nov 9, 12:47 PM ET: UN climate negotiator Simon Stiell warned in his opening address that high fossil fuel prices are spreading inflation like a cancer.
- Nov 9, 9:23 PM ET: Chris Bowen acknowledged the world would overshoot the Paris Agreement's 1.5C limit but said it can still return to that target.
Coverage
- Australia's Chris Bowen tells Cop31 the world can still limit global heating to 1.5C (The Guardian)
- Chris Bowen faces a titanic task at Cop31. What will it take for the world to make the climate crisis its top priority? (The Guardian)
- COP31 President Murat Kurum calls for turning climate pledges into concrete action (Anadolu Agency)
- COP31 has started! Minister Kurum’s “climate policy” message to the world (en.haberler.com)
- Türkiye wants Antalya to become ‘implementation COP’ as climate talks open (turkiyetoday.com)
- COP31 Bulletin Day 1: Australia says cover decision won't bring "surprises" (climatechangenews.com)
- COP31 bets big on electrification as a climate change solution (swissinfo.ch)
- Yes, the COP climate talks are far from perfect. But they still hold the power for change (Women's Agenda)
- How do you broker UN climate talks when your own country is a big coal and gas exporter? Chris Bowen is about to find out (The Guardian)
- Climate talks open in Turkey as US skips COP31
- Leaders open COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Turkey
- Governments gather in Antalya for COP31 climate talks
- Outgoing UN chief Guterres issues forceful climate warning before Turkey talks
- Türkiye readies Antalya climate summit as it outlines coal exit plans
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