COP31 talks enter week two under pressure to break deadlock

COP31 negotiations in Antalya, Turkey, are moving into the second week with major disputes still unresolved over emissions cuts and climate finance. DanChurchAid is urging ministers to deliver a balanced deal on mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage, and funding support for vulnerable countries.

Why it matters: - COP31 ministers face mounting pressure to turn stalled talks into a deal that can still keep climate goals within reach. - DanChurchAid says the outcome must balance emissions cuts, adaptation, loss and damage, and finance so vulnerable communities are not left behind. - UNEP’s recent Limiting Overshoot report shows that higher peak warming and a longer stretch above 1.5°C would raise risks for people and nature. - Faster emissions cuts matter more when paired with stronger protection for communities already dealing with climate impacts.

What happened: - COP31 entered its second week in Antalya, Turkey, with key political disagreements still unresolved. - Negotiations had not delivered breakthroughs on emissions reductions or climate finance by the end of week one. - DanChurchAid called on arriving ministers to use their political mandates to move talks forward. - Mattias Söderberg, Global Climate Lead at DanChurchAid, said week one left “too much unfinished business.”

The details: - DanChurchAid wants ministers to accelerate a just transition away from fossil fuels. - The group is pressing governments to help countries implement adaptation plans. - DanChurchAid also wants stronger support for unavoidable loss and damage. - The organization says credible climate finance is essential to make those goals real. - DanChurchAid is calling for a clear path to deliver the commitment to triple adaptation finance. - The group wants finance that is predictable and accessible for vulnerable communities. - Söderberg said wealthy countries must show how they will deliver the adaptation finance promise and ensure the money reaches the people who need it. - DanChurchAid says progress on mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage, and finance must reinforce each other. - The group says ministers need to address countries’ different priorities together rather than trade them off separately. - DanChurchAid is asking ministers to use their children’s future, and families already losing homes and harvests, as the lens for decision-making.

Between the lines: - The pressure on ministers suggests week one did not produce the kind of compromise needed to unlock a broader political package. - DanChurchAid is framing the talks as a test of whether wealthy countries will pair climate ambition with the money needed to implement it. - The emphasis on adaptation finance reflects concern that climate diplomacy can stall if funding commitments are not backed by delivery plans.

What's next: - Ministers are now expected to try to bridge the gaps left by negotiators in week one. - The next round of talks will need to produce a balanced outcome that advances emissions cuts and climate support at the same time. - DanChurchAid says the final deal should give each minister a result to take home while raising collective ambition. - More information is available in DanChurchAid’s COP31 engagement page.