Ahead of next month’s United Nations Cop31 climate summit, as a strengthening El Niño drives Pacific sea temperatures towards record levels, more than $5 billion promised to the region remains unpaid. Cop31 co-hosts Turkey and Australia are pushing to speed up the switch to electric transport, heating and industry, but participating countries are divided over how to wind down the use of coal, oil and gas.
Cop31 will run from 9-20 November in the Turkish resort city of Antalya. In a compromise that ended their rival bids to host, Turkish Environment Minister Murat Kurum will hold the presidency, while his Australian counterpart for climate and energy, Chris Bowen, will lead the negotiations.
