Thousands rally against COP31 as climate talks hit midpoint
The summit is unlikely to deliver a major breakthrough, disappointing activists seeking tougher fossil fuel restrictions and new funding pledges to help poorer nations cope with climate change.
Thousands of demonstrators marched through Antalya on Saturday, accusing the COP31 climate summit of neglecting those most affected by environmental destruction. The protest took place as negotiators near the midpoint of the two-week global climate talks, with nearly 200 nations striving to finalize a deal by Friday. Organized by environmental groups, trade unions, and rights organizations, the rally was the largest demonstration since the summit commenced on Monday under rainy skies.
Protesting against the lack of progress, demonstrators accused the summit of failing to address climate injustice, with activist Halime Saman stating that their voices are never heard at the COP. Turkey, co-chair of COP31, lacks a roadmap for phasing out fossil fuels, and new power stations and coal mines continue to be established.
Yasar Gokoglu, a demonstrator from Adana, traveled over 350 miles to denounce the summit as a pretense sponsored by monopolies. Police estimated over 7,000 people participated in the protest, which proceeded without major incidents. Civil society activists raised safety concerns due to Turkey's recent crackdown on the LGBT community.
Much smaller demonstrations within the COP31 venue, including one attended by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, have pressured leaders to act faster on climate change. The negotiations, chaired by Australia's climate minister Chris Bowen, have shown positive discussions but remain divided on key issues such as financing adaptation measures, defending climate science, and transitioning from fossil fuels to clean energy.
Despite the halfway point in negotiations, countries remain far apart on contentious issues. Turkey urges countries to join a voluntary pledge to increase the share of global final energy demand met by electricity, but with geopolitical tensions and an energy crisis, the summit's expectations remain uncertain. UN climate chief Simon Stiell emphasized that while no single COP can solve the crisis, each must drive progress.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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