On November 9, the 31st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31) began in Antalya, Turkey. Until November 20, delegations will discuss emissions reductions, clean energy, and financing for adaptation to global warming.
What will be on the COP31 agenda, and how Ukraine will seek recognition of its territorial integrity in climate reporting and attract investment for green recovery, is explained by UNN.
The summit opened against the backdrop of new warnings from scientists about rising temperatures on the planet. According to the World Meteorological Organization, 2026 will rank among the four warmest years on record. The average temperature for January–September exceeded the pre-industrial level by approximately 1.47 degrees. Therefore, the agenda includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, transitioning to cleaner energy, climate financing, and adapting countries to the consequences of global warming. In addition, participants are expected to determine how to accelerate implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement, since countries’ current commitments are insufficient to limit global warming.
It is also worth taking into account that this year’s climate summit is taking place against the backdrop of energy crises, international conflicts, and an increasing number of dangerous weather events.
What COP31 is and why the summit’s decisions matter
COP is an annual meeting of the parties to an international UN convention adopted in 1992. Here, governments review the implementation of climate commitments and agree on new steps.
The foundation of current negotiations is the 2015 Paris Agreement. Countries seek to keep the rise in the average global temperature well below 2 degrees, while pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5 degrees compared with the pre-industrial period.
This year, the meeting is being hosted by Turkey, while the negotiation process is being led by Australia. The president of COP31 is Turkey’s Environment Minister Murat Kurum, and the head of negotiations is Australia’s Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen. The summit of heads of state and government is scheduled for November 11–12.
What decisions will be discussed at COP31
The key task of the negotiations is to turn climate targets that have already been announced into concrete action.
One of the central projects of the Turkish presidency is to increase the share of electricity in the world’s final energy consumption to approximately 35% by 2035, compared with about one-fifth today. This concerns transport, heating, and industry. At the same time, environmental organizations note that the climate benefit will depend on whether the additional electricity is generated with low emissions rather than predominantly from fossil fuels.
Another major area is money. Countries will discuss how to fulfill the goal agreed at COP29 of mobilizing at least $300 billion annually by 2035 for the climate needs of developing countries and ensuring access to these funds. Business meetings will also address methane emissions reductions, urban resilience, and support for workers during the energy transition.
What happened during the opening on November 9
Summit participants called on governments to accelerate the fight against global warming and fulfill commitments made earlier.
Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, said that the results achieved so far are absolutely insufficient to overcome the climate crisis. Australia’s climate negotiations leader, Chris Bowen, emphasized that the Paris Agreement is working, but that countries must act faster.
And COP31 President Murat Kurum outlined the conference’s practical goal: the results of climate negotiations should be felt in people’s daily lives, particularly through reducing buildings’ energy consumption, developing public transport, providing affordable electricity, and creating jobs.
Why countries find it difficult to reach agreement
The sharpest dispute traditionally concerns the distribution of costs. Poorer states are demanding more assistance from economies responsible for a significant share of historical emissions. Countries also disagree on the pace of phasing out fossil fuels. This year, too, the COP31 opening ceremony began with a delay amid a dispute over including financing issues on the official agenda.
It should not be forgotten that wars and fluctuations in energy prices also contribute to instability. Indeed, it was precisely because of the latter factor that the US once again declined to participate in the official climate negotiations.
Ukraine at COP31: who is representing the state
On November 6, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy approved the composition of the official delegation by order No. 129/2026-rp.
The Ukrainian team is headed by Minister of Economy and Environment Oleksandr Kravchenko, with Oleksandr Krasnolutskyi serving as deputy head. The delegation also includes:
- MP Oleh Bondarenko;
- parliamentarian Lesia Vasylenko;
- MP Olena Kryvoruchkina;
- parliamentarian Yuliia Ovchynnykova;
- MP Tamila Tasheva;
- Ambassador to Turkey Nariman Dzhelial.
The ministry identified three priorities:
- protecting Ukraine’s territorial integrity in international climate decisions;
- attracting investment for recovery;
- strengthening expert and technical support.
Official Kyiv will insist at this year’s summit that climate mechanisms must not be used to legitimize Russia’s occupation. In particular, the environmental organization "Ecoaction" has already called for opposition to Russia’s inclusion of data from temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories in its national greenhouse-gas reporting.
The environmental consequences of the war: what Ukraine wants to show the world
Russian shelling is destroying industrial and energy facilities, polluting soils and bodies of water, causing fires, and damaging natural ecosystems. A separate problem is the impact of hostilities on the Black Sea: mines, sunken munitions, and pollutants pose a threat to the aquatic environment that Ukraine shares with other countries in the region.
According to the assessment by the International Initiative on Greenhouse Gas Accounting for War, additional emissions linked to the Russian invasion reached approximately 311 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent between February 24, 2022, and February 23, 2026. The Ukrainian side seeks to ensure that such consequences are taken into account in international climate policy and when discussing responsibility for environmental damage.
What the Ukrainian pavilion will present at COP31
Ukraine is participating in the conference with its own pavilion for the fifth time. This year’s concept is called "Ukraine Is the Solution" and is intended to show the consequences of the war and the experience of restoring ecosystems, strengthening energy resilience, and implementing modern technologies.
The main image of the exhibition is water, which connects Ukraine and Turkey via the Black Sea. Visitors will be shown the condition of Ukrainian aquatic ecosystems, the consequences of the destruction of the Kakhovka Reservoir, and practical approaches to green recovery. During COP31, the Ukrainian team has planned more than 70 events, including discussions on energy decentralization, agricultural technologies, humanitarian demining, protection of the marine environment, and climate security.
The official opening of the Ukrainian pavilion is scheduled for November 11. Its program also includes discussions on the transition to renewable energy sources, Ukraine’s climate change adaptation strategy through 2036, and opportunities to attract financing for reconstruction.
How can an international climate summit affect the lives of ordinary Ukrainians
The agreements could make it easier for Ukraine to access climate funds and investment. Potential areas include distributed generation, solar and wind power plants, energy storage systems, building insulation, and the restoration of water resources.
EU climate rules are also important for Ukrainian exporters. Businesses need to reduce the carbon footprint of their products, modernize their equipment, and take the requirements of the European market into account.
However, it should be emphasized that the COP31 decisions will not mean an immediate reduction in tariffs or the automatic receipt of funds. Separate agreements will be required for such steps.
What to expect from the UN climate summit by November 20
On November 11–12, a summit of heads of state and government will take place in Antalya, followed by thematic and technical negotiations. By the end of COP31, delegations are expected to try to agree on final documents concerning the implementation of climate commitments, financing, adaptation, and the energy transition. The content of the final documents will be determined by compromises among the participants.
For Ukraine, the key outcome will primarily be practical cooperation: safeguarding its position regarding the occupied territories, financing sustainable energy, supporting the restoration of natural resources, and the participation of partners in green reconstruction projects.
It should be recalled
A year ago, the UN Climate Change Conference COP30 in Belém ended with a compromise that failed to take into account most of the countries’ demands, apart from the promise by wealthy countries to triple financial assistance for adaptation to global warming.