Opening Speeches
Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres; Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Australia; Dr. Abiy Ahmed Ali, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and President of the Republic of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
“It’s make or bake time” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres as he opened the Summit addressing world leaders, followed by speeches from Australia, Ethiopia, Türkiye, and Brazil.
Regional Commentary
Australia: Natasha Green, Programme Lead for Australia, E3G, said:
“At the Leaders’ Summit, Prime Minister Albanese put the vulnerability of Pacific Islands to climate impacts and the reality of 1.5°C overshoot at the centre of his call for greater cooperation at COP31. He called for global cooperation to accelerate clean energy and electrification, protect the ocean, and deliver climate finance for the most vulnerable countries. Australia can lead by example through its own renewable power transformation, and work with Türkiye to carry forward the Pacific’s priorities to strengthen the international architecture needed to turn national and regional ambition into action.”
Ethiopia: Ujunwa Ojemeni, Senior Policy Advisor, E3G said:
“As Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed stressed, predictable and affordable climate finance is essential to enable countries to act early and protect livelihoods. At COP31, Africa is looking for tangible progress on implementing the commitment to triple adaptation finance by 2035, wider access to climate finance, adequate resourcing of key climate funds ahead of their replenishments, operationalising the Just Transition Mechanism, and stronger engagement on the links between climate, trade and development.
Looking to COP32, Ethiopia will have the task of building on its domestic efforts to bring global and African priorities together, prioritising adaptation and resilience, while ensuring that finance, technology and investment in local value chains support industrial development, job creation and a just transition across Africa.”
Brazil: Gustavo Pinheiro, E3G’s Senior Associate in Brazil, said:
“President Lula challenged world leaders to put climate back at the top of the global agenda, warning that geopolitical rivalries are pushing the climate crisis out of the spotlight even as its impacts intensify and compound. Lula urged Türkiye and Australia to carry forward Brazil’s Transition Away from Fossil Fuels (TAFF), halting deforestation and $1.3 trillion climate finance roadmaps through the next Global Stocktake. Brazil also committed to developing its own national TAFF roadmap.
The test for Brazilian diplomacy now is whether Antalya secures recognition of the 3 roadmaps in its final decision, safeguarding Belém’s legacy and sending a clear signal to governments and investors to move from promises to concrete plans, investment and action – or lets another opportunity for climate action slip away.”
Türkiye: Oyku Senlen Gundogan, Senior Researcher, Türkiye Strategy and Global Analysis, E3G, said:
“President Erdoğan framed COP31 as an implementation COP. Clean electrification offers a concrete opportunity to combine climate action with stronger energy security, but it must be backed by credible plans and investment. At the same time, highlighting renewables without addressing the transition away from fossil fuels leaves a significant gap. An implementation COP should not remain silent on the main cause of the climate crisis. Türkiye’s credibility will depend on combining its ambitious energy transition plan with a clear and fair transition away from fossil fuels, both at home and through the COP31 agenda.”
A good start for COP31?
Alden Meyer, Senior Associate, E3G, said
“Other than the severe logistical challenges around registration and transportation, COP31 is off to a good start: the agenda was adopted without a fight, negotiators are buckling down to work, and leaders are addressing electrification, clean industrialization, slowing deforestation, bolstering climate resilience, and other important topics. But there are severe differences amongst countries on issues such as mobilizing climate finance, accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels, and doing more to help vulnerable countries and communities cope with devastating climate impacts that threaten to impede progress. We’re already seeing signs of resistance for some Parties to the proposal by Türkiye and Australia that in addition to the mandated decisions on negotiations issues, COP31 should agree a comprehensive cover decision. The hybrid Presidency and Ministers have their work cut out for them over the next ten days if we are to achieve the outcomes we need to see from this climate summit.”
