Banking News – UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell has urged negotiators to make the most of the remaining time and reach decisions swiftly to make the global fight against climate change effective. Addressing a press conference on Saturday as the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, underway in the Turkish coastal city of Antalya, reached its midpoint, he called on all parties to advance discussions immediately on difficult issues and avoid strategic delays.

Stiell said all participating nations must show flexibility and work with mutual understanding and cooperation to build international consensus on climate change. According to him, while securing agreement on every word and sentence during negotiations is challenging, such effort is necessary to achieve the common goal. He stated that collective success is not possible without agreement and cooperation from all sides. He informed that practical initiatives related to climate change are gaining momentum at COP31. He stressed the need to translate international commitments into practice and advance concrete work in areas such as clean energy, climate-resilient infrastructure, green industry, and disaster risk reduction.

Stiell also said that to make the campaign against climate change successful, it must not be limited to government policies and international agreements alone but must be connected to the daily lives of billions of people worldwide. He was of the view that popular sectors such as sports, entertainment, and culture can be used as vehicles for climate awareness and solutions. Noting that the impacts of and solutions to climate change must be linked to citizens’ direct needs, he said quality health services, employment opportunities, and affordable and reliable energy should be placed at the center of this campaign.

The COP31 conference, which began on Monday, will run until November 20. The main objective of the conference is to transform international commitments on climate change into concrete implementation. The conference has prioritized the expansion of climate finance, particularly for developing countries, climate adaptation programs, and the transition toward clean energy. Cooperation among all nations is essential in the remaining period of the conference to build consensus on these issues and translate commitments into action.