The 31st UN climate conference opened in Türkiye on Monday, with African countries expected to push for increased funding to address deteriorating climate impacts and boost resilience across the continent.

Around 100,000 participants representing nearly 200 countries are expected in the Mediterranean city of Antalya for the talks, which run from November 9 to 20. Key issues include accelerating the energy transition and financing climate adaptation in developing countries.

African negotiators are pushing for the COP31 agenda to include discussions on tripling adaptation finance. Such funding would support measures including building sea walls and developing drought-resistant crops. The proposal comes as many countries face rising costs from extreme weather and limited resources to respond.

However, developed countries are also under pressure to meet existing climate-finance commitments. A senior European Union official warned that there would be little political appetite for additional funding pledges.

The talks come amid mounting concerns over global warming. The World Meteorological Organization said on Monday that 2026 is likely to be one of the four warmest years on record, with global temperatures from January to September averaging about 1.47°C above pre-industrial levels. A strengthening El Niño is expected to increase the risk of extreme heat, drought and heavy rainfall into 2027.

The energy transition is another major issue. At COP28 in Dubai in 2023, countries agreed to transition away from fossil fuels, but progress on implementing the commitment has been limited. At COP30 in Brazil last year, negotiations failed to secure an explicit reference to fossil fuels in the final agreement.

Türkiye is hosting COP31 and leading its action agenda, while Australia is presiding over the formal negotiations. The Turkish presidency has described the summit as an "Implementation COP", aiming to turn previous climate commitments into concrete action.

Geopolitical tensions, energy price pressures and the absence of the United States from the negotiations could further complicate efforts to reach consensus