UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, called for a “Climate Justice Compact, based on shared responsibility, shared security and shared benefits” at the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Turkey. COP31 is the 31st annual UN climate conference, where governments negotiate how to cut emissions.
The proposal rests on four pillars: moving away from fossil fuels, adapting to a warmer world, more financial help from wealthy countries and stronger international cooperation. Guterres warned that trade barriers, technology monopolies and rivalries leave “billions behind”.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdğan, the summit’s host, urged developed countries to take more responsibility for emissions cuts. He said climate finance should become more accessible, predictable and responsive to needs.
Absent Leaders Cloud the Summit
The leaders of China, the United States and India, the three largest emitters, are absent, and together their countries account for more than half of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions. China is represented by Vice President Han Zheng, while the US is absent after President Donald Trump withdrew from the Paris climate agreement.
Leaders of Germany, France, Italy, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Canada and Japan are also reported absent. Climate Action Network, a coalition of advocacy groups, gave its “Fossil of the Day” award, a mock prize for climate laggards, to the absent wealthy-country leaders on Tuesday, Nov. 10.
More than 70 leaders and officials are due to speak at the leaders’ summit, and nearly 190 delegations are expected at the wider conference, which runs Nov. 9–20 at the Antalya Expo Center. Follow-up high-level meetings for leaders who could not attend are set for Nov. 17–18.
Warnings on Warming and Money
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, said the world is at a “global tipping point”. She cited disruption to energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.
Khalilur Rahman, president of the UN General Assembly, said: “Antalya must now give us delivery.” A climate ranking published the same day by Germanwatch and the NewClimate Institute, two research groups, warns of a widening gap between pledges and actual emissions cuts.
Developing countries want clarity on the US$300 billion a year that rich countries agreed at the COP29 conference in Baku in 2024 to deliver by 2035. They also want progress toward a US$1.3 trillion a year goal.
What Comes Next in Antalya
Thursday, Nov. 12, is devoted to the resilience of cities and buildings to heat, floods and storms, and Friday, Nov. 13, to finance and trade. Murat Kurum, Turkey’s environment minister, is COP31 President, meaning he chairs the conference, while Australia’s Chris Bowen leads the formal negotiations.
Turkey’s proposed voluntary pledge would raise electricity’s share of global final energy use to 35% by 2035. The presidency puts today’s share at about a fifth, while other estimates run to 23% to 24%.
What It Means for US Readers
Antalya is eight hours ahead of US Eastern Time, so afternoon sessions there fall in the morning in New York. We have not confirmed session times in ET, and the US is absent at leader level.
A livestream has not been confirmed for COP31. Readers can check the UN climate secretariat (UNFCCC) at unfccc.int/cop31 for schedules.
What Is Not Known
No confirmed opening time for the leaders’ summit has been found, and we have not seen a UN or Turkish government transcript of the speeches. The quotes here come from press reports of the speeches.
No opinion poll or prediction-market odds for the summit outcome were found, and none are reported here. Whether the absent leaders will join the follow-up meetings on Nov. 17–18 is not yet clear.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Guterres propose at COP31?
He called for a “Climate Justice Compact” based on shared responsibility, shared security and shared benefits. Its four pillars are moving away from fossil fuels, adapting to a warmer world, more finance and stronger cooperation.
Which major leaders are missing from the summit?
The leaders of China, the United States and India, which together account for more than half of carbon dioxide emissions, are absent. China is represented by Vice President Han Zheng.
What is the next fixed date?
The leaders’ summit ends on Thursday, Nov. 12, and finance and trade are on the agenda for Friday, Nov. 13. The conference is scheduled to close on Nov. 20.