COP31 opened in Antalya, Türkiye, with representatives of almost 200 countries meeting to negotiate cuts to greenhouse gas emissions, climate finance and measures to protect vulnerable communities. Ireland, holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, will help lead the EU’s negotiating effort alongside the European Commission, Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O’Brien said. O’Brien urged the EU to engage developing countries with greater understanding and to deliver previously promised financial assistance, saying rebuilding trust requires commitments to become real investment and action. Irish and development groups including ActionAid Ireland have called for grants-based public finance rather than loans and for stronger support for loss and damage for communities that cannot be protected. Australia’s Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen, leading the summit presidency, is promoting practical electrification and a voluntary pledge to raise electricity’s share of global final energy consumption to 35 percent by 2035. The United Nations Environment Programme warns current policies leave the world on course for about 2.8 degrees Celsius of warming, so the summit’s outcome will be judged on whether governments agree measures that accelerate emissions reductions and deliver accessible funding to the countries most at risk.
