The United Nations' top climate official urged negotiators at the COP31 conference in Antalya, Turkey, on Saturday to move swiftly towards a deal and "avoid tactical delays" as the summit heads into its second and final week, Reuters reported.

Source: Reuters, Nov 14, 2026

"Each country has a view. Every country has a voice. Getting agreement on every word, every sentence is tough but vital work," UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell told the summit. "There is no collective success without compromise from every party."

Source: Reuters, Nov 14, 2026

"As we head into the second week, I urge parties to move swiftly to the hardest issues and to avoid tactical delays," Stiell said. Asked about progress so far, he added: "All I can say at this stage is engagement has been constructive. We know where those natural tensions lie."

Source: Reuters, Nov 14, 2026

The fossil fuel divide

Big fossil fuel producers and consumers at the talks are resisting any deal that would specify firm new targets or a shift away from oil, gas and coal, observers cited by Reuters said — posing a challenge for host Turkey and lead negotiator Australia. Major oil producers such as Saudi Arabia and Russia have traditionally resisted language constraining fossil fuels, while large developing economies such as India have opposed measures they say could limit their development and energy choices.

Source: Reuters, Nov 14, 2026

The annual conference faces new challenges this year as a slew of crises, from war to inflation, push global warming down the list of priorities for world governments, Reuters said. A UN report last month found the world is already on course to exceed the 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) warming threshold.

Source: Reuters, Nov 14, 2026

The world's biggest oil consumer, the United States, has skipped the talks for the second year in a row under President Donald Trump, who has called global warming a hoax and promoted continued use of fossil fuels, Reuters noted.

Source: Reuters, Nov 14, 2026

Turkey's electrification plan and the draft ahead

Turkey is striving to place a proposal to expand global electrification at the centre of an eventual deal, saying the plan will lead to faster emissions cuts by speeding the shift away from fossil fuel-powered cars, boilers, furnaces and other equipment, Reuters reported. The proposal does not require the increased electricity use to come from renewable sources, however, disappointing observers and delegations that want a clearer map of the transition away from fossil fuels.

Source: Reuters, Nov 14, 2026

Delegates from nearly 200 nations are meeting in Antalya for COP31, which runs from November 9 to 20, and Australia's COP31 President of Negotiations, Chris Bowen, said he expected a first draft of a deal text to emerge early next week, Reuters reported.

Source: Reuters, Nov 14, 2026

What happens next: the first draft text early next week will show whether the second week can bridge the fossil fuel divide — between producers resisting firm targets and the delegations, scientists and advocates who say the 1.5-degree threshold is already slipping out of reach.

Source: Reuters, Nov 14, 2026