COP31 Leaders' Summit: UN Chief Calls for Faster Fossil Fuel Phase-Out and More Climate Finance
On 11 November 2026, the UN Secretary-General opened the Antalya Leaders' Summit at COP31, the 31st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), held in Türkiye.
He called on countries to phase out unabated coal (coal burned without capturing its carbon) by 2040 and to cut oil and gas use by a third. He said global emissions must fall by about 6% every year, and that current national climate plans deliver only about a third of the cuts needed to keep the 1.5°C goal within reach.
He asked for an end to new coal, oil and gas infrastructure, credible roadmaps for a fair ("just") transition away from fossil fuels, and for fossil fuel companies to help pay for climate damage.
On finance, he asked developed countries to deliver the US$300 billion a year by 2035 agreed at COP29 (2024), and to make concrete plans to triple adaptation finance, as called for at COP30 (2025). He also called for early warning systems for everyone and quick, easy-to-access loss and damage support.
UNEP's 2026 Adaptation Gap Report (released 4 November) estimates developing countries need about US$305 billion a year for adaptation by 2035. Even a tripled adaptation finance goal would cover only 20–29% of that need.
Other leaders spoke too. Brazil, the COP30 host, called for progress on three roadmaps: mobilising US$1.3 trillion in climate finance, moving away from fossil fuels, and ending deforestation. Türkiye, the host, announced a Climate Implementation BRIDGE initiative to link local needs with investment. Ethiopia asked for climate money to be available in advance of disasters and for reform of lending by multilateral development banks.
Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels (TAFF): From Phase-Down to the Belém Roadmap
"Transitioning away from fossil fuels" means the world slowly moving its energy system off coal, oil and natural gas and onto clean sources like solar, wind, hydro and nuclear. The phrase comes from the COP28 decision in Dubai (2023), the first time all countries together agreed that the fossil fuel era must end. It does not set a fixed date or a fixed amount for each country. That is why the UN keeps pushing for clear roadmaps and deadlines.
The UN chief used the COP31 Leaders' Summit to ask for faster and clearer steps on the COP28 promise, including dates for coal and cuts to oil and gas. Brazil also called for progress on a roadmap for moving away from fossil fuels.
New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on Climate Finance
The New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) is the global target for how much climate money must flow to developing countries every year. It was agreed at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, in November 2024. It replaced the older promise of US$100 billion a year, made in 2009. Under it, developed countries take the lead in providing the money.
The UN Secretary-General asked developed countries to actually deliver the US$300 billion promised at COP29. Brazil's call to mobilise US$1.3 trillion refers to the wider NCQG goal.
Early Warnings for All (EW4All) Initiative
Early Warnings for All (EW4All) is a United Nations plan to make sure every person on Earth is protected by an early warning system by the end of 2027. An early warning system tells people, before a disaster strikes, that a cyclone, flood, heatwave or other danger is coming and what they should do. It was announced by the UN Secretary-General on 23 March 2022. It is led jointly by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).
At COP31, the UN Secretary-General called for universal coverage by early warning systems, with only about a year left before the EW4All deadline of 2027. He tied this to adaptation and loss and damage, saying vulnerable countries need protection before disasters and quick help after them.
- Antalya Leaders' Summit opened 11 November 2026 at COP31, Türkiye
- UN Secretary-General's asks: phase out unabated coal by 2040; cut oil and gas use by one-third; global emissions to fall 6% a year
- Current national climate plans deliver only about one-third of the cuts needed for 1.5°C
- NCQG (COP29, Baku, 2024): US$300 billion a year by 2035; wider goal of US$1.3 trillion a year by 2035
- COP30 (Belém, 2025) outcome called for tripling adaptation finance
- UNEP Adaptation Gap Report 2026 (released 4 November 2026): about US$305 billion a year needed by 2035; a tripled goal covers only 20–29%
- Brazil: 71% drop in Amazon deforestation between 2022 and 2026
- Türkiye: renewables are 60% of installed power capacity; 2050 net-zero target; Climate Implementation BRIDGE initiative announced
- Ethiopia: over 56 billion seedlings planted; developing countries pay nearly US$1 trillion in public debt
- Australia: renewable capacity doubled in six years; over 600,000 home batteries installed in the past year