What to know about this year’s UN climate talks

The United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP31, is currently underway in Antalya, Turkey. The conference, co-hosted by Turkey and Australia, runs until November 20 and aims to address the pressing issue of climate change. This year's talks are particularly significant due to the global crisis caused by the ongoing war in Iran, which has led to economic turbulence and soaring energy prices.

Notably, the United States is absent from the conference, as President Trump has withdrawn the country from the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Experts are warning that global warming is set to exceed the 1.5°C limit within a few years, as indicated by a UN Environment Program report. The conference is expected to focus on how to rapidly reduce emissions and finance adaptation efforts to help a warming world cope with inevitable damage. The previous COP30 agreement aimed to mobilize $300 billion per year by 2035 for these purposes, but funding has remained relatively stagnant.

The glacier collapse in the Himalayas earlier this year claimed around 1,500 lives, left over 5,000 people missing, and caused nearly $5 billion in damage. The UN loss and damages fund has allocated $20 million to assist Nepal in recovery, which is less than 1% of the total estimated cost for the country.

A key area of discussion at COP31 will be the role of fossil fuels. While the 2015 Paris Agreement called for a transition away from fossil fuels, last year's COP30 agreement did not mention them explicitly. Turkey and Australia, the co-hosts of this year's conference, both have substantial ties to fossil fuels. Turkey's energy grid heavily relies on fossil fuels, including coal, while Australia is a major exporter of coal and natural gas.

Beyond formal negotiations, COP31 president Murat Kurum, Turkey's environment minister, is spearheading side initiatives. One of them focuses on making AI more sustainable, while the other aims to increase the share of electricity in member countries' energy consumption. The target is to have electricity account for 35% of total energy use by 2035. This shift could play a crucial role in reducing emissions.