Over 200 nations are attending the UN COP31 climate conference in Antalya, Türkiye, which runs to 20 Nov, with the aim of limiting warming to 2 °C. The UN climate chief Simon Stiell warned that tactical delays could stop a global warming agreement. Rich countries agreed two years ago to raise climate finance for poorer countries to $300 billion a year by 2035, a target that comes after they missed their 2020 goal two years late. Oxford researchers found 718 of more than 800 climate measures in 39 countries remain unchanged, while 11 have been repealed, eight of them in the United States. The US has no official delegation at the conference after leaving the Paris Agreement, though more than 100 US governors, senators and mayors are attending.
COP31
4 stories since 8 November 2026, newest first
12 November 2026
9 November 2026
Funders announce more than $375 million to support climate‑related health projects at COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye. The money will boost climate observation, data systems and early‑warning infrastructure for vulnerable communities. Simon Stiell, UN climate executive secretary, says the recent Northern Hemisphere summer heatwaves killed an estimated 50,000 people in Europe. UN data estimate over 30,000 excess deaths across Europe this summer, including about 16,000 during the 22–28 June heatwave. The Lancet Countdown reports 710,000 heat‑related deaths worldwide in 2023, 71 % of which are linked to human‑caused climate change, while only roughly 1 % of global climate finance is allocated to health.
The COP31 UN climate conference opened in Antalya on Turkey's Mediterranean coast and runs until 20 Nov, co-hosted by Türkiye and Australia. Around one hundred world leaders attended. Negotiators from nearly 200 countries are seeking agreement on a Turkish proposal to raise electricity's share of global energy use and revive moves away from fossil fuels. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the current path amounts to mutually assured destruction. Leaders of China, the United States and India did not attend, and the US is sending no formal delegation.
8 November 2026
Higher electric‑vehicle sales are reported as consumers react to rising fuel costs caused by the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. The surge reflects a shift toward electricity as a transport fuel while hydrocarbons still dominate primary energy worldwide. Australian climate change minister Chris Bowen says he will judge the upcoming COP31 conference successful only if all parties pledge to increase electricity’s share of final energy demand. Bloomberg data show hydrocarbons account for about 80 % of primary energy but only roughly 65 % of final energy use, and experts note that electrification mainly boosts efficiency without restricting consumer choices.