EduAsiaNews, Antalya — Climate action initiatives undertaken by local governments, businesses, cities, and civil society are beginning to deliver results. However, implementation needs to accelerate to ensure that global commitments translate into tangible emissions reductions and environmental protection. This is according to the Yearbook of Global Climate Action 2026, launched by the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on November 9, 2026, on the sidelines of the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye.
UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell said that various initiatives by businesses, city governments, and communities had generated changes whose benefits were increasingly being felt by the public.
“This yearbook shows how businesses, cities, communities, and other stakeholders are translating global commitments into changes that people can see, feel, and benefit from,” Stiell said.
He added, “COP31 must help scale up solutions, mobilize finance, and bring the benefits of climate action to more people.”
The report records progress across 44 global indicators related to the outcomes of the first Global Stocktake of the implementation of the Paris Agreement. Of the 96 socioeconomic indicators monitored, positive developments were observed in renewable energy capacity expansion, slowing deforestation, and strengthening climate change adaptation. However, gaps remain, particularly in reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas sectors and addressing food loss. Limited global indicators in several areas also pose challenges to measuring overall progress comprehensively.
COP31 is taking place from November 9 to 20, 2026, at the ANFAŞ Antalya Expo Center in Türkiye, bringing together 197 Parties to the UNFCCC, comprising 196 countries and the European Union. Around 100,000 participants are expected to attend the conference. A total of 102 leaders from 95 countries and seven international organizations are scheduled to attend the high-level summit, including 37 heads of state and 35 heads of government. Türkiye’s Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum serves as COP31 President, while Australia’s Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen leads the negotiation process.
The involvement of non-state actors has also continued to expand. Through the Non-State Actor Zone for Climate Action (NAZCA) platform, the UNFCCC has recorded 83 collaborative initiatives reporting more than 200 activities. Meanwhile, 84 percent of Plans to Accelerate Solutions reported progress after one year of implementation. These achievements form part of the 10-year milestone of the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action, which brings together governments, businesses, investors, local authorities, and communities.
The UNFCCC considers that this progress needs to be reinforced through consistent emissions reductions, forest protection, and increased financing for developing countries. The Yearbook of Global Climate Action 2026 will also be updated to reflect developments in the climate action agenda throughout COP31.
Stiell stressed that the world’s challenge today is not merely to make commitments but to ensure that their implementation becomes broader and faster. Accordingly, the success of climate action must be measured by the tangible changes it delivers for people and the environment, rather than simply by the number of agreements reached. (**)
