UN climate chief Simon Stiell calls on negotiators to tackle difficult issues and avoid delays as COP31 enters its second week….reports Asian Lite News Desk
UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell has urged countries to accelerate negotiations and avoid delaying difficult decisions as the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) reached its halfway point in Antalya, Türkiye.
Stiell called on negotiators to address the most challenging issues without further delays, stressing that international cooperation and compromise would be essential to achieving meaningful outcomes at the two-week summit, which runs until November 20.
“Getting agreement on every word, every sentence, is tough but vital work. There is no collective success without compromise from every Party,” Stiell said at a press briefing in the Turkish coastal city on Saturday.
He urged countries to move beyond negotiations and focus on practical climate initiatives that connect international agreements with real-world action.
According to Stiell, initiatives at COP31 are gaining momentum in areas including clean energy, resilient infrastructure, greener industry and disaster preparedness.
He also stressed the importance of engaging people in climate action through everyday activities and cultural platforms, including sports and entertainment.
“We need to get better at connecting climate impacts and solutions to the things people need — like better health, good jobs, and affordable, secure energy — and with the things they love — like sports,” he said.
Opened on Monday, COP31 aims to shift global climate efforts from political commitments to concrete implementation, with particular emphasis on increasing climate finance for developing countries, strengthening adaptation measures and accelerating the transition to clean energy.
UN chief flags climate finance gap
Stiell’s appeal comes amid growing calls for developed countries to provide greater financial support to developing nations, particularly those most vulnerable to climate change.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday described the global climate finance system as marked by “structural injustice”, urging wealthier nations to increase funding for countries facing the worst impacts of global warming.
Speaking at a press conference during COP31, Guterres highlighted the significant gap between the financial resources available and the requirements of developing countries.
“Developing countries, particularly the most vulnerable, will need far greater support for adaptation and for loss and damage,” he said. “Even tripling adaptation finance would meet less than 30 per cent of what is needed.”
He argued that existing commitments from developed countries remained inadequate to address the scale of the climate crisis, particularly in nations facing severe environmental and economic challenges.
“Those that pollute more have not created the conditions to gather the resources that are necessary to adequately respond to the needs of those that suffer,” Guterres said.
The UN chief also called for more effective use of existing financial resources to expand funding for climate initiatives and ensure vulnerable countries receive the support they need.
With COP31 entering its second week, climate finance, adaptation and the clean energy transition remain central to negotiations, alongside efforts to translate international commitments into practical measures.
Stiell’s call for faster negotiations highlights the urgency of reaching agreements, with countries facing pressure to overcome differences and deliver tangible progress before the summit concludes on November 20.
