Day 1 at COP31: Antalya opens with implementation and the ‘State of the Climate’

The 31st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP31) began this morning in Antalya, Türkiye. In a challenging context of a supercharged El Nino and the reality that we will overshoot the 1.5°C target set in Paris, the conference’s opening day demanded immediate, actionable solutions.

The Opening Ceremony began with the handover from André Corrêa do Lago, president of COP30 to the Dual Presidents of COP31. This set out the formal election of Türkiye's Murat Kurum as COP31 President and Australia's role as Vice-President.

President Murat Kurum says 1.5°C goal “remains our guide” as the world confronts “many challenges” this year. He used his opening statement to reinforce the role of electrification in the energy transition, highlighting Türkiye’s "35-by-35" Global Electrification Pledge.

UN Climate Chief Simon Stiell then addressed the delegates in a rallying speech to open negotiations. “This is what the era of implementation looks like. Let’s get to work.”

The State of the Climate

After the opening ceremonies this morning, the World Meteorological Organisation took the lead to announce the publication of their State of the Climate Update for 2026. Their report offers a stark reminder of why rapid implementation is so important.

The WMO report finds that in the reporting period January to September 2026, the average land surface temperature was 1.47°C above pre-industrial levels. They acknowledge also that this figure will rise in the last part of the year due to El Nino effects which have not yet been felt.

El Niño underlay many discussions today, with its effects reaching health systems, food and agriculture and our ability to adapt to a changing climate. The WMO General Celeste Saulo told us; this el Nino is different from any before. Whereas an El Niño event is categorised by sea-surface temperatures of 0.5°C above average, this year has seen temperatures of 4 times this. 

Reflecting on the last El Niño event, panellists discussed the increased risks of water borne diseases such as cholera, and the need for more resilient crops after crop failures across sub- Saharan Africa. This El Niño event however, we may have more reasons to be hopeful. There has been an increase in multi-warning systems, and coordinated efforts are leading to results; shelters, resilient seeds and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) long term flood planning have been set up in advance of expected hazards.

The State of the Climate Update ends with a reminder that while adaptation measures are crucial, "we cannot adapt to an unmitigated future". Countries must also reduce their GHG emissions to have any chance of mitigating the worst-case scenarios.

Climate Data and Observations

The theme of climate data continued throughout the day. In the yearly mandated Earth Information Day event we heard more about the state of meteorological observations around the world, and how they are being used to inform action.

Climate forecasts and early warning systems in any part of the world depend on observations from across every continent, and these remain patchy. In developing countries, plans are often ready to implement but lack the funding to actually be implemented.

New Research from the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) Impact Report reinforced that filling gaps in observation systems in vulnerable countries improves forecasts everywhere. SOFF framed investments in meteorological observations as “reducing tomorrows uncertainty" which will have lasting returns, and Samoa led calls from SIDS for private, public and philanthropic funding to help implement these plans.

Key discussions

Today’s negotiations centred on the Agenda for the Conference, with finance and adaptation already becoming central. Alongside the negotiating agenda, the ‘health and food’ thematic day featured working group discussions, and Türkiye launched the Antalya Initiative for Resilient Health Systems.

After the opening ceremony, the president put forward the Agenda. Many countries wished to state their position, but unlike previous years there was no real disagreements over the Agenda, which was passed in the late morning. Speaking through Ghana, the African Group called for tripling adaptation finance, a dialogue on trade and climate, and a Green Climate Fund replenishment reflecting African needs. The UK backed the call to triple finance, while the EU highlighted its position as the largest climate finance contributor, calling on other developed countries to step up.

Adaptation and finance were the focus of a session focused on building capacity to implement national climate commitments and adaptation plans. Of 197 countries, 172 have an adaptation plan or strategy, and 115 of those plans are costed. Yet the Adaptation Fund is nearly 6 time lower that the costed plans, showing just how far there is to go to reach the “implementation COP” goal of the COP31 Presidency.

Looking Ahead

Today’s discussions set the stage for this weeks Leaders’ Summit, when attention turns to whether political ambition can translate into concrete, implementable climate actions.

Tomorrow’s high-level dialogue on adaptation will bring financing challenges into focus, against the backdrop of El Niño and persistent gaps in adaptation funding. On this theme, we will also hear from the LDC (Least Developed Countries) Negotiating Group as they set out their expectations from this COP.

Tomorrow, work will also begin on continuing the COP30 roadmap for transitioning away from fossil fuels. This will be a key event to watch as fossil fuels were a contentious topic at last year’s Summit. A complementary event on ‘Up-Skilling for De-Carbonising’ may provide useful outcomes to industry and trade professionals as the energy sectors transitions.

CAFA

Climate Action for Associations are attending COP31 virtually as an official NGO Observer. We are providing daily updates to make sure our members stay up to date with the negotiations.

Follow our updates here