COP31 opens in Turkey with record heat warnings and climate finance tensions

COP31 opened in Turkey on Monday with warnings of record global heat, as the WMO confirmed 2023-2026 as the four hottest years on record and warned of an intensifying El Niño by December. Rising sea levels and ocean heat content underscore escalating climate risks. Australia and Turkey assumed a joint COP31 presidency, pledging an "implementation COP" focused on delivering existing climate commitments. Climate finance emerged as a key sticking point, with developing nations demanding progress on the $300 billion annual goal agreed at COP29, while Nepal highlighted mountain-specific adaptation needs. Negotiators acknowledged the world will likely overshoot the 1.5°C warming target, though projected warming has fallen from nearly 4°C to around 2.6°C since Paris. Pacific envoys and the High Ambition Coalition warned that overshoot cannot justify slowing emissions cuts.