Leaders from countries already experiencing severe effects of climate change have called on world governments to take urgent action, warning that rising temperatures, rising sea levels and extreme weather events are threatening lives, livelihoods and national development.
The appeal was made on Thursday, November 12, 2026, during the United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP31, taking place in Antalya, Türkiye. Leaders from vulnerable island nations and developing countries urged wealthier nations and major polluters to strengthen their climate commitments and provide financial assistance to communities facing the worst consequences of global warming.
Alix Sébastien Pillay, Vice-President of Seychelles, said climate action was essential to the survival of his country, an Indian Ocean archipelago comprising 115 islands.
He called on governments to move beyond discussions and deliver practical solutions, highlighting the financial damage Seychelles continues to experience despite contributing relatively little to global greenhouse gas emissions.
Pillay also urged the international community to strengthen funding arrangements designed to compensate vulnerable countries for climate-related losses and damage. He warned that financial assistance should not push developing nations further into unsustainable debt or undermine their development priorities.
Dalton Tagelagi, Prime Minister of Niue, also warned that changing ocean temperatures were providing an indication of the growing climate threat facing Pacific island communities.
He said temperatures in parts of the central Pacific were more than three degrees Celsius above normal, describing the development as a warning of what could happen if countries failed to reduce emissions quickly.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for adequate international funding to help countries recover from climate disasters and prepare for future emergencies.
He referred to Pakistan’s devastating 2022 floods, which submerged more than a third of the country, killed thousands of people and caused damage estimated at more than $30 billion.
Sharif stressed that climate change crosses national borders and requires coordinated international action rather than isolated responses.
The discussions came as a report by the independent Climate Action Tracker warned that progress in reducing projected global warming has stalled over the past five years.
According to the assessment, even if countries fulfil all their existing climate pledges, global temperatures could rise approximately 2.6 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century.
The projection remains significantly above the 1.5-degree Celsius threshold established under the 2015 Paris Agreement as a key target for limiting the most dangerous effects of climate change.
United Nations climate discussions have also focused on increasing financial support for developing countries, accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels and strengthening adaptation measures against extreme weather.
However, the absence of several major world leaders has raised questions about the level of political commitment behind the negotiations. The United States, China and India, three of the world’s largest carbon emitters, were not represented by their national leaders at the summit.
Climate activist Greta Thunberg also criticised governments for failing to match their promises with meaningful action, arguing that communities already experiencing climate disasters cannot afford further delays.
As COP31 continues, vulnerable countries are pressing for stronger emissions reductions, predictable financial support and practical commitments that can protect communities from increasingly severe climate impacts.
For many of these nations, the negotiations are not simply about environmental targets but about protecting their populations, economies and future generations.
Swifteradio.com
