U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged governments at COP31 to cut global emissions by at least 6% a year, putting fossil-fuel policy and promised funding for developing countries in focus.
Guterres made the appeal in an interview with Anadolu on Tuesday in Antalya, Türkiye. He said temperatures are expected to exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius and called for limiting the extent and duration of that overshoot. He warned that millions of people would face more severe climate disasters.
Separately, Guterres called on countries to carry out existing emissions and climate finance agreements and increase their efforts. He urged a faster move toward renewable energy while acknowledging that countries have different responsibilities.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) calculated that, under its pathway with the smallest temperature overshoot, greenhouse gas emissions must fall 18% by 2030 and 45% by 2035 from 2025 levels. The latter target amounts to an average annual decline of 5.7% over the decade. UNEP’s earlier assessment of national pledges found they would reduce emissions by 11% to 15% by 2035 from the same baseline.
Guterres also pressed developed countries to deliver climate finance for developing nations. Under the COP29 agreement, developed countries are to lead efforts to provide at least $300 billion annually by 2035. Countries also agreed to work toward mobilizing $1.3 trillion a year from all sources by then.
Brazil’s COP30 presidency has brought a voluntary fossil-fuel transition roadmap to COP31. It gives countries a way to assess their circumstances and plan action, while calling for protections for workers and communities affected by the transition.
Fossil-fuel policy remains contested at the summit. NPR reported continued resistance to including fossil-fuel language in conference texts, a dispute covered in EconoTimes’ report on COP31’s opening.
Leaders are scheduled to meet Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 11-12. The conference runs through Nov. 20.
