PM Shehbaz leaves for Turkiye to attend COP31 Leaders' Summit

Office. Pk)November 10, 2026He will also outline the government's initiatives to improve disaster preparedness and strengthen early-warning systems. The prime minister is expected to call for predictable, adequate and easily accessible climate financing for developing countries to help them build resilience against climate-related challenges and achieve sustainable development.

During the visit, he will also participate in a high-level roundtable convened by the COP31 presidency on the sidelines of the Leaders' Summit. The premier is further scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with the Turkish leadership and several other world leaders.

The Foreign Office said Pakistan's participation in the summit reflected its strong commitment to the global climate agenda and its willingness to work closely with the international community to address the climate crisis. Meanwhile, COP31 climate negotiations began in Antalya on Monday, with discussions over climate financing emerging as an early point of contention between developed and developing nations.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged world leaders to take more decisive action against climate change following a year marked by extreme weather events, including heatwaves, wildfires and devastating floods. Negotiations over the official agenda continued late into Sunday as developing countries pushed for greater attention to climate financing and financial support from wealthier nations.

Under international climate agreements, developed countries are expected to provide financial assistance to developing nations to help them adapt to climate impacts and transition towards cleaner energy. However, developing countries maintain that the available funding remains insufficient.

Developing nations are also seeking increased adaptation financing to support measures such as constructing sea walls and developing drought-resistant crops. However, observers expect limited progress at this year's summit amid geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty and disagreements over climate funding.

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has warned that 2026 has continued the trend of exceptionally high global temperatures, melting ice and rising sea levels. The European Union's climate monitoring service has also indicated that 2026 is likely to become the second-hottest year on record.

In September, the United Nations warned that global temperatures were on course to exceed the 1.5-degree Celsius threshold above pre-industrial levels, the most ambitious limit set under the Paris Agreement.