COP31 leaders urge faster climate action as major polluters skip talks

World leaders gathered in Turkey for COP31 on Wednesday to seek concrete climate action, but leaders from major polluting nations including the United States, China, and India were absent, leaving a handful of officials to press for urgency amid warnings of a widening gap between pledges and emissions cuts. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged immediate action, outlining a four-point framework including ending fossil fuel reliance, adapting to warming, boosting financial support, and promoting cooperation. Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva pledged to protect the Amazon, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan focused his speech on Gaza, calling the situation an "ecocide." More than 70 leaders are speaking, but critics noted only one G7 head of state attended, with many European leaders staying away. The conference follows past unfulfilled promises, and a report found current efforts insufficient to prevent catastrophic climate change, with Turkey and Australia ranked among the worst performers.