The United Nations COP31 climate conference opened Monday in Antalya, Turkey, bringing together nearly 200 countries to negotiate curbs on emissions after a year that included record heat waves across Europe and the Middle East.
The big picture: The summit runs from November 9 to 20. Turkey's Murat Kurum has been nominated as COP31 president, and Australia's Chris Bowen will preside over the negotiations, according to the UNFCCC.
- The AP reported that rising temperatures, deadly heat waves in Europe and beyond, and climate related disasters played a role in the urgency around this year's summit.
- The summit brings together heads of state, climate negotiators and activists from nearly 200 countries, along with corporate delegates and civil society groups.
The backstory: At COP30 in Belem last year, countries agreed to submit updated nationally determined contributions by early 2027. COP31 is the first major test of whether those pledges are on track.
Between the lines: The U.S. delegation arrives weakened: the midterm election results have raised questions about whether the Trump administration can deliver on any commitments made in Antalya.
Why it matters: COP summits set the global baseline for emissions policy. Failure to agree on stronger targets in Turkey would push meaningful climate action past 2030, when scientists say the window to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius effectively closes.
