Thousands of delegates are descending on Antalya, Türkiye today as the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP31, officially gets underway.
The gathering brings together world leaders and climate negotiators who are facing mounting pressure to move beyond pledges and deliver concrete action on rising global temperatures and worsening climate impacts.
For African nations, the stakes could not be higher. The continent contributes the least to global emissions yet bears some of the heaviest consequences, from erratic rainfall to extreme heat and coastal erosion. What comes out of Antalya will shape the resources and commitments directed toward African communities already living with the consequences of a warming planet.
Whether this conference produces binding commitments or more carefully worded declarations remains the question everyone in the room is trying to answer.
Originally published by AllAfrica.