In an emotional farewell address at the Cop31 climate summit on Friday, outgoing UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized that tackling the climate crisis must remain the central priority for global governance. As leaders departed the summit and negotiations continued, Guterres delivered a stark warning regarding the future of the planet. "You cannot build peace on a burning planet," Guterres stated during his final climate press conference in his current role. He further noted that poverty cannot be eradicated when climate disasters consistently reverse development gains, and that promises of a better future for younger generations are hollow while the natural systems they depend upon are being destroyed.
Guterres, who leaves office at the end of December, has been a vocal critic of fossil fuel companies and governments that resist climate action. His successor remains unknown following efforts by Donald Trump to influence the selection process, leading to concerns that the next leader may deprioritize the climate crisis. Addressing this, Guterres stressed that climate change is not an isolated issue, as it drives global displacement, increases competition for land and water, and threatens the stability and existence of communities and nations. He reiterated his belief that climate action is fundamental to every aspect of the UN's mission.
By Friday afternoon, most of the 90 world leaders who attended the summit had returned to their home nations. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese departed after hosting meetings with international investors and renewable energy firms, as well as a discussion with Kiribati President Taneti Maamau regarding the challenges faced by Pacific nations. Australia, holding a co-presidency with Turkey, has released a "reflections" document outlining proposals from the week's talks. This document will serve as a basis for the final "cover decision" expected at the summit's conclusion next Friday.
Negotiators are currently working toward goals including the electrification of the global economy, with a target of 35% of energy derived from electricity by 2035, alongside pledges to reduce methane emissions and provide adequate climate finance for developing countries. Chris Bowen, Australia’s climate and energy minister, noted that the reflection text is not a final negotiating document and that parties have until Saturday to respond. Meanwhile, research revealed that more than 100 companies and groups linked to fossil fuels were present at the talks. Prakash Dalal of Pro Public/Friends of the Earth Nepal criticized this presence, arguing that large polluters are being given disproportionate space at the expense of civil society.
The Australian co-presidency of the 31st “conference of the parties” to the UN framework convention on climate change issued a list of “reflections” that encapsulated the proposals countries had expressed since the talks began on Monday. This will form a loose basis for a first draft of the “cover decision”, the final negotiated document gavelled through at the end of the summit, which is likely to be the central outcome of Cop31.
Recent cover decisions have produced significant progress: at Cop28, in Dubai in 2023, the cover decision included a global pledge to “transition away from fossil fuels”, and at Cop26, in Glasgow in 2021, a cover decision produced a requirement to “phase down” coal.
