The COP31 climate summit opened in Antalya, Turkey, against a backdrop of mounting tensions between developed and developing nations, with poorer countries pressing for greater financial support to confront the effects of climate change.
African nations are using the gathering to demand climate finance that is predictable, accessible and affordable, arguing that existing pledges have failed to meet the continent’s needs. Represented by the African Group of Negotiators, they are calling for grants and concessional funding instead of loans that could deepen already heavy debt burdens. Africa is estimated to require between 1.3 trillion and 1.6 trillion dollars by 2030 to fund climate adaptation and mitigation.
African governments are also insisting that the global shift to clean energy deliver broader economic gains. They want investment in renewable power, technology transfers, local processing of critical minerals and job creation, rather than continued dependence on exporting raw materials. Negotiators said COP31 must turn political commitments into concrete financing that reaches vulnerable communities while giving African countries room to industrialise and strengthen their economies.
