COP31 kicks off in Turkey's Antalya with first plenary session

The first plenary session of COP31 opened in Antalya, Türkiye, on 9th of November with Brazilian diplomat André Aranha Corrêa do Lago handing over the gavel to Turkish Minister Murat Kurum.

The summit comes amid escalating climate challenges, including severe heatwaves in Europe, major wildfires in Indonesia and catastrophic floods in Nepal, with a strong El Niño phenomenon adding to climate-related disruptions. The UN Secretary-General urged world leaders to accelerate emission cuts, advance a just transition away from fossil fuels, and protection to vulnerable countries.