By Henry Neondo
The Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change has called for a decisive shift into a new “era of implementation” as governments prepare for COP31 in Antalya, warning that global instability makes climate cooperation more urgent than ever.
Speaking in Istanbul at a press conference hosted by the COP31 President-Designate, Simon Stiell said the world is facing “a new world disorder” marked by geopolitical instability, trade wars and growing skepticism toward international cooperation.
“These challenges are real and serious,” he said. “But climate action can deliver stability in an unstable world.”
From Paris to Implementation
Stiell framed global climate efforts in three eras: first, recognizing the problem; second, building solutions through agreements such as the Paris Agreement; and now, a third phase focused squarely on delivery.
“The era of implementation must be about speeding up and scaling up,” he said.
Since the Paris Agreement was adopted at COP21, clean energy investment has increased tenfold—from $200 billion annually to more than $2 trillion. In 2025 alone, he noted, clean energy investment was more than double that of fossil fuels, and renewables overtook coal as the world’s top source of electricity.
At COP30 in Brazil, countries declared the global transition “irreversible” and committed to accelerating action. Still, Stiell acknowledged progress is “not as fast or fair enough.”
The next milestone is COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, where governments are expected to advance implementation of commitments made in the first Global Stocktake in 2023—doubling energy efficiency, tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030, transitioning away from fossil fuels in a just manner, strengthening resilience, and scaling up climate finance.
Finance at the Forefront
Climate finance will be central to discussions in Antalya.
At COP29 in Baku, countries agreed to triple annual climate finance for developing nations from $100 billion to $300 billion, and committed to a roadmap toward mobilizing $1.3 trillion per year.
Stiell described the 33-hour extended negotiations in Baku as “well spent,” pointing to progress on carbon markets under Article 6 and the scaling up of financial commitments, even as some developing countries voiced dissatisfaction with the pace and scale of support.
“Time is not the measure,” he said. “The focus has to be on the quality of the COP outcome decisions.”
He stressed the need to lower the cost of capital for developing countries and expand both the quantity and quality of climate finance, with multilateral development banks playing a key role.
US Withdrawal and Coal Push
Responding to a question about the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and its renewed support for coal-fired power, Stiell avoided direct criticism but underscored that “the door remains open” for the US to return.
“The science and the economics are absolutely clear,” he said. “Renewables are the cheapest, cleanest mode of energy production moving forward. Renewables are cheaper than coal.”
He cited $2 trillion invested globally in renewables last year compared to $1 trillion in fossil fuels, calling it clear evidence of where markets are heading.
“No country is immune” from the impacts of fossil fuel pollution, he added, noting that climate action addresses core concerns such as energy bills, public health, and job creation.
Hosting COP While Dependent on Coal
Asked how Türkiye can credibly host COP31 while remaining heavily reliant on coal, Stiell said there is “absolutely no correlation” between a country’s fossil fuel profile and the quality of COP outcomes.
He pointed to recent summits hosted by major fossil fuel producers, including COP27 in Egypt, which established the Loss and Damage Fund, and COP28 in the UAE, which delivered the first global agreement to transition away from fossil fuels.
“Our expectations here in Türkiye… [are] to deliver a very strong outcome signaling what this era of implementation looks like,” he said.
Stiell also praised Türkiye’s progress on zero-waste policies and renewable energy expansion, describing the country as “a crossroads of the world and a centre of diplomacy.”
Security, Stability and Self-Interest
Throughout his remarks, Stiell linked climate action to national security and economic resilience.
“Let’s get real,” he said. “For any leader who is serious about security, climate action is mission critical.”
He warned that rising greenhouse gas emissions are fueling famine, displacement and conflict, while climate-related disasters are disrupting food supplies and driving inflation. By contrast, renewable energy offers energy sovereignty and insulation from geopolitical shocks, he argued.
“Climate cooperation is an antidote to the chaos and coercion of this moment,” Stiell said. “More than ever, climate action and cooperation are the answer—not despite global instability, but because of it.”
Registration for COP31 has not yet opened, Stiell confirmed, declining to comment on participation questions, including whether Afghanistan will be represented.
With Brazil, Türkiye, Australia and Ethiopia all playing leadership roles in the coming cycle, Stiell expressed confidence that the second Global Stocktake in 2028 will show the world on track to meet its commitments.
“My unequivocal answer is yes,” he said when asked whether deeper climate cooperation is possible in today’s fractured geopolitical landscape. “Because it is indisputably in every nation’s self-interest.”