Brazil and Turkey, at the COP31 conference hosted in Antalya, warned that military and trade disputes should not hinder global efforts to combat global warming. These statements were made on the third day of this annual United Nations meeting and referred to the beginning of consecutive speeches by world leaders aimed at facilitating negotiations for a new agreement on climate change.
The Necessity of Maintaining Focus on Climate Change
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the President of Brazil, stated at this conference: "A year ago, the Earth left COP30 with positive energy, but this momentum has decreased at the beginning of this year. Climate change has disappeared from global leadership speeches and documents." He added: "We have talked more about weapons and tariffs than about the survival of future generations. The planet cannot be at the mercy of hegemonic disputes."
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Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the President of Turkey, also emphasized the need for international solidarity in the face of global challenges, stating: "Wars, crises, migration, famine, and poverty increase the need for international solidarity every day."
Global Challenges and Their Impact on Climate Policies
Recent conflicts in the Middle East and the U.S. and Israel's war against Iran have impacted crude oil transportation and raised fuel prices globally. These developments have diminished the priority of global warming for some governments, while climate change advocates believe that these conditions justify a faster adoption of clean energy.
Negotiators from nearly 200 countries at COP31 are working to reach an agreement on Turkey's proposal to increase the share of electricity in global energy consumption and revive stalled efforts to move away from fossil fuels. António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, warned world leaders that the slow international response to climate change has so far led the world down a destructive path, and swift action to prevent it is essential.
He stated: "The painful truth is that the climate crisis is outpacing us. This path leads to mutual destruction." Guterres pointed to the increase in greenhouse gases, global temperatures, and climate change-related disasters.
A recent United Nations report indicates that the world is on track to exceed the 1.5 degrees Celsius warming limit that countries agreed upon under the Paris Agreement to avoid the worst effects of climate change.
Meanwhile, the year 2026 has been marked by a series of extreme heat events in Europe and glacial melt in Nepal, leading to catastrophic flooding and the deaths of over 1,450 people.
Laurent Fabius, former Prime Minister of France and Chair of the Advisory Council of Former COP Presidents, stated that leaders' speeches should provide political motivation for negotiations and added: "This is an opportunity for leaders to present declarations and further explain how they intend to implement these actions, as the key word in Antalya is the implementation of these actions."
Speakers on Wednesday will include Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Han Zheng, Vice President of China, and Hilda Heine, President of the Marshall Islands. However, many major countries will not be present at this conference.
The United States, the largest historical emitter of greenhouse gases, has been absent from these negotiations for the second consecutive year. Other G7 countries such as France, Germany, Japan, Italy, and Canada have also not sent their leaders to this meeting. Mohamed Adow, director of the Energy and Climate Think Tank, believes that the world's largest economies must lead in responding to the climate crisis and should not pass this responsibility to others.
Read more: Singapore: Climate Negotiations Should Focus on Implementing Previous Agreements · COP31 Meeting in Turkey: World Leaders Emphasize the Need to Accelerate Action Against Climate Change
