The preparatory session for COP31, which will take place in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9 to 20 November, began on Monday 8 June in Bonn, Germany, and will end on 18 June.
At the opening session, the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Simon Stiell, said: “We need an outcome that reflects the scale of the dangers and opportunities before us, with stronger commitments, as the science requires”.
He called on the delegations present to redouble their efforts in order to meet the objectives set in the various treaties and added: “We do not have time to reopen past debates or renegotiate commitments already made, because we hear the frustration of those being denied the benefits of climate action”.
Simon Stiell also stressed the simplification of UNFCCC processes to facilitate access to climate finance and ease Member States’ climate reporting obligations.
Australia will chair the negotiations in Türkiye. The Executive Secretary and Australia — which will chair the negotiations in Antalya in November — highlighted the impact of the current energy crisis to justify further climate action.
“Accelerating the energy transition through electrification and clean energy will mitigate the shocks affecting our energy systems”, the Australian delegation said, insisting on “the fragility of fossil fuel supply chains”.
“COP31 will be marked by transparency, inclusion, and predictability”, it added, anticipating criticism that could emerge following Türkiye’s exclusion of Cyprus from a preparatory meeting in New York last March (see EUROPE 13876/27).
The Australian delegation also indicated that COP31 was being organised in partnership with the Pacific, and announced the intention of Türkiye, the Pacific, and Australia to strengthen ocean-focused climate action on that occasion. (Original version in French by Nadège Delépine)