Turkey to push for 'electrification' drive at COP31 as climate threats mount

Nearly 200 nations gather for the COP31 summit in Turkey on Monday but tensions over geopolitics, finance and fossil fuels are tempering expectations of a major breakthrough in tackling the climate crisis. More than 100,000 people are expected at the UN's two-week climate negotiations in the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya. Tougher action on fossil fuels – the main driver of climate change – appears unlikely and budget-strapped developed countries are reluctant to commit more money to help developing nations cope with climate impact. Read moreEl Nino set to intensify before peaking in December, UN warns An energy crisis and cost-of-living pressures, fuelled by the war in the Middle East, are also looming over the gathering. "This is not going to be the COP that changes the world," said Paul Watkinson, France's former chief negotiator at climate summits. "It's an intermediate COP in many ways. But it is an important conference and it does need to make sure it makes progress," he said. A senior EU official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also tempered expectations, adding: "We cannot expect a revolution in terms of climate action from the Antalya COP." The talks follow dea...