US absent as UN climate summit COP31 opens in Turkey

The United States is absent from the opening of the UN climate conference COP31 in Antalya, Turkey, on Monday, following President Trump's second withdrawal from the Paris Agreement last year. Over 190 countries are sending government leaders and officials to the talks, where global south nations are expected to push wealthier countries to increase funding for a "loss and damage" fund established at the 2022 UN summit in Egypt. Turkey is hosting the conference, while Australia is presiding over the negotiations, with activists and delegates gathering to address climate-related disasters.