Joint press release by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, the Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development

The 31^st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) is beginning in Antalya, Turkey, on Monday, 9 November 2026. Up until 20 November, the States Parties will discuss how they can implement the Paris Agreement more swiftly. The nationally determined contributions for 2035 submitted to date are, taken together, insufficient to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. The focus in Antalya will therefore be on implementing the existing contributions and driving forward further ambitious measures. Other issues include adaptation to the impacts of climate change and the implementation of the new global climate finance goal. Environment Minister Carsten Schneider will join the negotiations in person during the second week of the conference. The Federal Environment Ministry is the lead ministry for international climate policy within the Federal Government. The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development is contributing its expertise in development policy, taking the lead in negotiations on adaptation and supporting the implementation and financing of climate policy measures and partnerships. The Federal Foreign Office is supporting the conference with its work in the areas of climate foreign policy and climate and security.

Environment Minister Carsten Schneider: “The faster global emissions fall, the faster we can bring the temperature curve back down to 1.5 degrees. At the same time, we must better protect people from the impacts of heatwaves, droughts and floods. In Antalya, we want to be as specific as possible in this regard. The geo-economic situation, with price shocks for petrol, diesel and gas, is – alongside climate action – another urgent reason to take decisive action now. Three-quarters of humankind live in countries that, like us, are dependent on fossil fuel imports. All of these countries now have a strong new incentive to modify their economic model. Alongside renewable energy and energy efficiency, electrification is the right antidote to the fossil fuel crisis. The Federal Government will lend its support to the Presidency’s electrification initiative, and other countries will follow suit. The aim is to send a strong signal to global markets that modern and efficient electric technologies are the way of the future. Every new electric car, heat pump and plant that generates process heat using renewable electricity makes us a little bit more independent from the ongoing price shocks affecting oil and gas.”

Foreign Minister Dr Johann Wadephul: “The situation facing the small island states shows us very clearly just how existential the impacts of climate change are already today as many of them are at risk of being completely submerged. Their voices must therefore be heard at the UN Climate Change Conference. Climate change is a particularly acute security threat for these countries; I witnessed this first-hand during my visit to Tonga earlier this year. When conflicts over water and fertile land escalate elsewhere, forcing people to flee their homes and leading to rising extremism, this also affects our security here in Germany and Europe. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz shows how energy can be used as a weapon – which is why investment in domestic renewables is not only a question of climate action, but is also an investment in our security. With our climate foreign policy, our climate partnerships and climate embassies, we are helping – in our daily exchanges with many countries around the globe – to ensure that climate change is not the focus of our attentions only once a year at the COP. Together with strong partners, we are committed to the climate with great ambition all year round and are resolutely tackling the impacts of climate change, which knows no borders and affects us all.”

Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan: “We have felt the impacts of the climate crisis once again this summer, including extreme heat, low river levels and calls to save water. However, it is the people in the Global South who are hit hardest by climate change. Heatwaves and floods are, time and again, a question of survival in these countries. The climate crisis is a key global justice issue of our time. Our response must be international solidarity. This is precisely what German development policy delivers. When we talk about the climate crisis, we also have to talk about water. Water and the climate are inextricably linked. We need comprehensive adaptation plans, early-warning systems and effective climate risk financing. This is what we are advocating for at COP31. After all, the 1.5-degree limit is already being exceeded at times. Every tenth of a degree matters.”

The 31st UN Climate Change Conference is being chaired by two presidencies for the first time. As the holder of the COP Presidency, Turkey is responsible, among other things, for hosting and organising the conference, as well as for the Action Agenda implementing the Paris Agreement. Australia is acting as the President of Negotiations. Its tasks include preparing and leading the negotiations, consulting with states and drafting resolutions. On behalf of Australia as President of Negotiations, Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider will, together with India’s Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, lead the political consultations on the key issue of greenhouse gas reduction.

The conclusions of the EU’s Environment Council of 12 October form the basis for the European Union’s joint approach. Priorities include the expansion of renewable energy, greater energy efficiency and the gradual phase-out of fossil fuels. Germany has presented a national roadmap to this end. In Antalya, the Federal Government is also endeavouring to reduce methane emissions, replace the climate-damaging gas sulphur hexafluoride (SF₆) in electricity grids and strengthen the circular economy.

Germany supports the electrification initiative launched by the Turkish COP Presidency. This initiative aims to increase the share of electricity in global final energy consumption from just over 20% to 35% by 2035. Germany is supporting these efforts through, among other things, the D-Grids distribution network initiative. High-performance electricity grids and storage facilities are essential for enabling more renewable electricity to be used in buildings, transport and industry.

When it comes to climate adaptation, Germany is committed to making it easier for particularly vulnerable countries to access climate finance and to making greater use of nature-based solutions. For example, intact mangroves can store carbon and protect coasts from storm surges. The protection of the oceans will also be high up on the agenda in Antalya. The COP31 preparatory conference (Pre-COP) in Fiji, chaired by Australia, has already provided initial impetus to this end.

Further information

• Information about the UN Climate Change Conference (in German): https://www.bundesumweltministerium.de/klima-cop31
• Germany’s roadmap for the gradual phase-out of fossil fuels: https://www.bundesumweltministerium.de/en/download/germanys-roadmap-for-transitioning-away-from-fossil-fuels
• Programme for the German Pavilion at COP31: https://german-climate-pavilion.de/