COP31: World cannot afford another decade of fossil fuel dependence as climate crisis deepens

350.org calls on governments gathering at UN climate talks in Türkiye to turn promises into action, make polluters pay and deliver a just transition away from fossil fuels

ANTALYA, TÜRKIYE: As world leaders prepare to gather in Antalya for COP31, 350.org is warning that the world cannot afford another decade of delay in transitioning away from fossil fuels. The UN climate conference starts amidst the largest fossil fuel crisis in history and people all over the world are facing increasingly devastating climate impacts while fossil fuel companies continue to profit from the very industry driving the crisis.

From deadly heatwaves across Europe and North America and catastrophic flooding in Nepal to wildfires raging through Indonesia and the Amazon and forecasts of a “Godzilla” El Niño, the climate crisis is already here, and its consequences are severe and lasting. Meanwhile, continued dependence on coal, oil and gas is leaving households and economies exposed to volatile energy prices, geopolitical instability and growing insecurity. 2026 has been another year of obscene profits for the fossil fuel industry. By the close of the third quarter, just five of the world's largest oil and gas companies BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell and TotalEnergies – had raked in a staggering $56 billion in combined profits.

The UN climate talks come at a critical moment for international climate cooperation. Momentum from COP30 in Brazil and the Santa Marta conference in Colombia, where around 80 countries supported efforts to advance the transition away from fossil fuels, has created an opportunity to move from political recognition to implementation. Days ago, the COP30 presidency added on the pressure and presented the roadmaps to help countries turn commitments into action. There are no more excuses for delay.

350.org is calling on the Turkish and Australian COP31 presidencies to build on this momentum and ensure that the summit delivers a credible pathway towards phasing out fossil fuels, backed by time bound milestones, accountability and finance. Governments must agree on concrete steps towards a just and equitable transition away from fossil fuels, accelerate the expansion of renewable energy, deliver the climate finance developing countries urgently need and ensure that those responsible for the crisis pay their fair share.

Efe Baysal, Türkiye Program Manager at 350.org, said:

"Türkiye has a unique opportunity to demonstrate what climate leadership looks like. Hosting COP31 comes with a responsibility to help move the world beyond fossil fuel dependence and towards an energy system that works for people, not polluters. Communities in Türkiye and across the region are already experiencing the consequences of climate change, from extreme heat to water stress and wildfires. We cannot keep treating these impacts as a distant threat. COP31 must deliver real progress towards a just transition away from fossil fuels, with renewable energy, climate resilience and people's livelihoods at its heart."

Fenton Lutunatabua, Pacific and Caribbean Program Manager at 350.org, said:

"For Pacific communities, the climate crisis is not a future scenario being debated in negotiation rooms. It is an immediate threat to our homes, cultures, livelihoods and very existence. Our islands are on the frontline of a crisis we did little to create, while the companies most responsible continue to extract and profit. We need governments to listen to the communities already living with these consequences. COP31 must deliver action, not more delay: a rapid transition away from fossil fuels, meaningful climate finance and a commitment to protect the people and places most at risk."

Rukiya Khamis, East Africa Program Manager at 350.org, said:

"We can’t wait until COP32 in Ethiopia to fix what needs fixing now. Across East Africa, people are facing the devastating impacts of a climate crisis they did not cause. From prolonged droughts to destructive floods, we are losing homes, livelihoods and access to food and water. Yet the money needed to respond to these impacts remains out of reach for many of the countries and communities most affected. It is fundamentally unjust that those least responsible are being left to carry the greatest costs. COP31 must make climate justice a reality. That means delivering the finance communities need and making fossil fuel companies pay their fair share, rather than asking ordinary people to foot the bill. By the time countries arrive in Addis Ababa next year, we should be negotiating deadlines and binding targets, not vague promises full of 'ifs' and 'maybes.”

Fanny Petitbon, Policy Analyst at 350.org, said:

“Out in the real world, people are paying the price of the worst energy crisis in history caused by our toxic dependence on fossil fuels, with energy bills they can’t pay and growing insecurity. Meanwhile, oil giants make enormous profits. If this isn’t the moment for governments to act, when will it be? For once, this COP needs to respond to what people are living through, not to what is being bargained over in the negotiating corridors. Ten years after the Paris Agreement, pledges are no longer enough. We need wind and solar power built at full speed, renewable-driven electrification, an end to fossil fuel expansion, and polluters paying for the damage they’ve caused. COP31 must be where governments stop promising and start delivering. People cannot afford another decade of delay.”

350.org is urging governments to focus on four priorities at COP31:

• Deliver a credible transition away from fossil fuels: Build on the momentum from COP30 and Santa Marta towards a just, orderly and equitable phase-out of coal, oil and gas, with clear milestones and accountability.
• Make polluters pay: Introduce stronger, permanent taxes on fossil fuel companies’ profits and other measures to ensure fossil fuel companies contribute to climate recovery, adaptation and the transition to clean energy.
• Electrification via the acceleration of accessible renewable energy: Expand wind and solar, strengthen electricity grids and storage, and ensure that electrification reduces fossil fuel dependence rather than reinforcing it.
• Deliver climate finance and a just transition: Ensure wealthier countries and major polluters provide the finance, technology and support needed by emerging economies and communities on the frontline of climate impacts.

The choice facing governments is not between climate action and affordable, secure energy. It is between continuing to expose people to the volatility and insecurity of fossil fuel dependence, or building an energy system powered by clean, affordable and increasingly homegrown renewable energy.

Every fraction of a degree of warming avoided matters. Every tonne of emissions prevented can reduce future harm. COP31 must recognize that the transition away from fossil fuels is no longer political luxury - Its a desperate environmental necessity for safety, security and equity for this generation and those who come after us.

ENDS

Notes to editors

• Photos can be found here
• Check 350.org's events, actions and spokespeople at COP31
• COP31 takes place in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9–20 November 2026.
• Türkiye is hosting COP31, with Australia serving as President of Negotiations.
• 350.org is an international climate organization working to end the age of fossil fuels and build a world of community-led renewable energy for all.

Media contact:

• Join the 350.org broadcast group for media updates throughout COP31
• 24/7, on call, team email: [email protected]
• Kim Bryan | Email: Kim Bryan | Phone: +44 7770 881503
• Ilang-Ilang Quijano |Ilang-Ilang Quijano | +639175810934