{
  "id": 19851233,
  "title": "Indigenous leaders at COP31 say it’s past time to turn promises into action",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/13/indigenous-leaders-at-cop31-say-its-past-time-to-turn-promises-into",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-13T19:24:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Grist",
    "slug": "grist",
    "url": "https://grist.org/indigenous/indigenous-leaders-at-cop31-say-its-past-time-to-turn-promises-into-action/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The 2026 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change conference in Antalya, Turkey, began with a focus on implementing previous climate agreements, rather than setting new goals. This marked the third consecutive year Indigenous leaders have raised concerns that COP gatherings are merely a continuation of the longstanding pattern of excluding Indigenous voices from international climate negotiations. For Indigenous advocates, COP31, which began on November 9, is a crucial test to determine if promises made at last year's COP30 translate into tangible changes, such as greater authority over climate action. Edward Porokwa, a Maasai member of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, expressed concern that progress on securing Indigenous land rights, providing funding, and respecting free, prior, and informed consent in the energy transition remains elusive. Despite these pledges, funds for affected communities have not reached Indigenous land defenders quickly enough, and their rights and lives continue to be threatened. Porokwa emphasized that the responsibility to address climate change should not fall solely on smaller countries and Indigenous peoples. In recent years, extreme weather events have intensified, causing widespread devastation. In Nepal, floods and landslides in August killed over 1,500 people and destroyed villages; Canada experienced its worst wildfire season on record, displacing thousands; and Indonesia's worsening wildfire situation has led to thousands of deaths and forced school closures. The upcoming El Niño climate phenomenon is expected to exacerbate the crisis, potentially causing famine, heat-related deaths, and further catastrophes. Indigenous delegates, including Māori activist Quack Pirihi, expressed frustration that despite their contributions to climate science, global emissions continue to rise, making the 1.5°C warming goal set in the 2015 Paris Agreement increasingly unattainable. Indigenous peoples are pushing for climate justice, emphasizing that loss and damage from climate disasters are not merely humanitarian issues but also a matter of historical responsibility, equity, and the right to recover with dignity. Bianca Ranson, a board member of the Aotearoa Climate Action Network, attended COP31 to support her father's landmark climate case against major emitters in New Zealand, which challenges the government's lack of support for the case. Despite the challenges, Indigenous advocates remain committed to ensuring that COP31's discussions lead to concrete actions.",
  "summary": "As climate disasters mount, Indigenous advocates are pushing governments to follow through on commitments made at previous global climate summits.",
  "key_points": [
    "Indigenous leaders at COP31 stress turning promises into action, not just setting goals",
    "Edward Porokwa highlights unmet needs in land rights, funding, and consent for climate action",
    "Extreme weather events intensify, threatening lives and progress towards 1.5°C warming goal"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}