Urban climate finance remains on COP31’s agenda in Antalya, where a leaders’ summit schedule placed a city resilience dialogue alongside a business forum focused on financing climate goals.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) scheduled the COP31 Leaders-Level Non-CO₂ Greenhouse Gases Summit for 1-2:30 a.m. ET Nov. 12 and an urban resilience and adaptation dialogue for 5:30-9 a.m. ET that day. The leaders’ summit was scheduled to end at 9 a.m. ET (14:00 UTC), and the conference continues through Nov. 20.
Anadolu Agency reported that leaders were expected to take stock of earlier pledges, announce new commitments and discuss financing at the non-CO₂ meeting. It said methane was among the gases expected to be discussed.
UN-Habitat said many city climate plans lack the funding needed to protect residents, homes and essential services. The agency also cited financing, governance and institutional capacity gaps, and said cities need support to develop projects that can attract investment and move into implementation. Türkiye’s Sustainable Urban Resilience Financing Facility (SURFF) is one example of this financing work.
The COP31 Business Forum is scheduled for Nov. 12-13. Convened by the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye as the presidency’s private-sector envoy, it brings business and finance representatives together to discuss climate finance, the energy transition and resilient cities. Organizers say it aims to move climate goals toward funded projects and implementation.
UN-Habitat’s notice described cities and their residents, homes and services as intended beneficiaries of urban climate action; it did not say who would pay for it. The notice cited Habitat II, the Hatay declaration issued in May 2026 and Türkiye’s reconstruction experience after the February 2023 earthquakes as precedents. Türkiye hosts COP31, and the UNFCCC identifies Australia’s Chris Bowen as President of Negotiations.
The UNFCCC has scheduled a resumed leaders’ high-level segment for Nov. 17-18.
