COP31: Hilda Heine warns of existential risk while major emitters skip Antalya summit

Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine told COP31 on 11 November that without an overwhelming response to the climate crisis, "the world we know is over." She described coral bleaching and flood threats facing her country. The summit runs from 9 to 20 November in Antalya, Türkiye.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres used his address to call for a windfall tax on oil and gas firms. "We are in the fight for our lives and our children's future," he said. UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband warned that the national security of all countries is at risk from climate impacts, saying scenarios once treated as science fiction are already coming true.

The leaders of China, the United States and India — together responsible for more than half of global carbon dioxide emissions — skipped the summit. Their absence left a smaller group of national leaders and UN officials to press for action.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told the summit that governments have a "solemn responsibility" to act on climate change. He spoke about renewables but did not mention fossil fuels, the main driver of the crisis. His omission drew criticism.

A new report warned of a widening gap between countries' climate pledges and the emissions cuts they are actually delivering. The report's findings underscore the distance between stated targets and real-world reductions.

The pattern at Antalya is a disconnect between the urgency voiced by vulnerable nations and the UN chief, and the absence of the three largest emitters. Even among leaders who attended, at least one avoided naming the root cause of the problem. That combination raises questions about the credibility of the 1.5C target and the effectiveness of international climate diplomacy.

What concrete commitments emerge from COP31 remains to be seen. The summit continues through 20 November.