COP31: Guterres urges fossil fuel tax to fund climate justice pact

UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged governments at COP31 in Antalya to tax fossil fuel companies and forge a new climate justice pact to aid developing nations hit hardest by global warming. Guterres proposed a four-point compact covering accelerated fossil fuel transition, protection for vulnerable populations, affordable climate finance, and stronger international cooperation. He criticized oil giants for delaying action, noting their quarterly profits dwarf loss-and-damage funding. Turkish President Erdoğan admitted three decades of climate talks yielded weak implementation, while Brazil’s Lula warned wars and tariffs overshadow climate efforts. Methane reduction featured prominently, with UNEP tracking leaks, though only one in eight alerts has received a response.