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World leaders are set to begin formal discussions on Wednesday at the UN climate change conference in Turkey, seeking concrete steps to tackle global warming amid growing concerns that international efforts remain inadequate and too slow.
However, expectations for significant progress at the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) remain uncertain, as previous summits have faced criticism over unfulfilled pledges and limited achievements.
At the 2023 climate summit in Dubai, countries agreed to transition away from fossil fuels, including coal, oil and gas, the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions. But subsequent conferences in Azerbaijan and Brazil failed to secure major agreements on reducing emissions.
Last year’s summit in Brazil ended with a compromise deal that promised additional financial assistance to help climate-vulnerable countries adapt to the impacts of global warming.
Hosted by Turkey, with Australia leading the negotiations, this year’s conference officially opened on Monday against mounting concerns that global action is falling far short of what is needed.
Scientists warn that global temperatures are likely to surpass the 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) threshold above pre-industrial levels. Limiting warming to this level was a central goal of the 2015 Paris Agreement and remains a key focus of international climate negotiations.
The talks are also unfolding amid the war in Iran, which has pushed up global prices of oil, gasoline and petroleum-based products, including fertilisers and pesticides. Rising costs have prompted governments to reconsider their energy policies and investment in renewable sources such as wind and solar power.
“We don’t need more promises, we need plans,” said John Kerry, former US secretary of state and presidential climate envoy.
The United States, the world’s second-largest polluter after China, is notably absent from the conference for the second consecutive year.
President Donald Trump, who has dismissed climate change as a hoax, has targeted offshore wind projects and rolled back regulations designed to curb emissions from power plants.
