World leaders open speeches at COP31 climate summit in Turkey
Back-to-back speeches by world leaders began on the third day of the COP31 Leaders' Summit in Antalya, Türkiye, where delegates from nearly 200 countries are gathered for two days of talks. Speakers include Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng and Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine. Negotiators are seeking agreement on a Turkish proposal to raise electricity's share of global energy use. UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged governments to tax the windfall profits of major oil companies, while a UN report found the world on course to pass the 1.5 °C warming limit. The United States is absent for a second year.
Key facts
- Nine major oil companies made about $95 billion in profits over three months.
- The climate loss and damage fund received around $600 million, which Guterres said equals roughly 14 hours of those profits.
- Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will call for predictable, adequate and accessible climate finance for developing countries.
- Roads around the venue were closed to move 40 world leaders from the airport to the summit.
- Leaders of Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, the Netherlands and Sweden dropped off the speaking list.
Summarised with AI from 5 sources · Updated 04:11Read our AI policy
Why it matters
The talks could shape global climate finance and energy policy as warming approaches the Paris Agreement limit.
What changed
Summary updated
Summary updated
First published from Grist, allAfrica, Bangkok Post, The Hindu and The Straits Times