Dr. Deborah Barasa launches urban climate pacts at COP31 in Antalya
- The COP31 summit brought together over 100 national leaders to discuss urban climate action.
- The Antalya Compact for Energy Efficient Buildings established 2035 targets for energy reduction.
- The Sustainable Urban Resilience Financing Facility was introduced to support bankable climate projects.
- The Istanbul Zero Waste Action Platform launched 20 pilot districts to test circularity.
Dr. Deborah Mlongo Barasa is the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry. Dr. Deborah Mlongo Barasa attended a high-level side event hosted by KCB Bank Kenya at the COP31 conference in Antalya, Türkiye.
The summit theme, "Towards a Sustainable, Resilient and Just Future," highlights the urgent need to address climate impacts on urban economies. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said climate disaster is "killing people, it's harming communities and it's impacting our economies right now".
Successful interventions exist, such as Ahmedabad's Heat Action Plan, which prevents approximately 1,190 deaths annually through early warning and emergency response. Participants at the summit included Climate High-Level Champion Samed Ağırbaş and Chief Climate Negotiator Fatma Varank.
Türkiye and China signed a $15 billion renewable energy agreement to develop 7,000 megawatts of solar and wind capacity along with storage and transmission systems. More than 600 CEOs from 300 organizations also joined the summit to discuss investment in resilient infrastructure. The first day of the Leaders' Summit focused on building political momentum for electrification.
Global leaders gather in Antalya for climate action
More than 100 national leaders gathered in Antalya for the COP31 summit, which runs from 9 November through 20 November 2026. The World Leaders’ Summit, held 11–12 November, brought together 102 heads of state and government alongside approximately 300 ministers.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan participated in the summit to demonstrate commitment to climate action.
UN-Habitat and COP31 Presidency focus on urban adaptation
Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, said national climate plans only succeed when they reach homes and neighborhoods. This requires unified government efforts and housing designed to protect families from floods and extreme heat. Rossbach told leaders that climate commitments must translate into real improvements in daily life.
The Chair’s Summary identified municipal infrastructure, informal settlement upgrading, adequate housing, and access to essential services as key priorities. UN-Habitat analysis of 142 national climate plans shows 80 percent now include urban measures, an increase from 50 percent in previous plans.
Murat Kurum, the Minister of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, is the COP31 President. Kurum said climate action must deliver safer communities, more efficient homes, and stronger infrastructure.
He added that the world must build resilience using accessible finance and practical action.
Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40 Cities, said investing in resilience is more cost-effective than paying for disaster recovery.
Antalya Compact sets 2035 energy efficiency targets
Participating nations established the Antalya Compact for Energy Efficient Buildings to standardize resilient construction. The compact sets two 2035 targets: reducing global building operational energy intensity by 25 percent and accelerating building electrification.
Six sustainable building projects were recognized for design improvements that reduce energy use.
New financing facilities launched for urban resilience
The facility, developed alongside the World Bank and UN-Habitat, provides cities with technical support and financing.
This mechanism begins with 10 pilot countries and multilateral development banks.
The Pacific Resilience Facility exceeded $200 million in 2026. The Minderoo Foundation added a $5 million commitment to the facility.
Zero Waste Districts pilot circular economy initiatives
These pilot programs measure avoided methane emissions at the neighborhood level. The initiative aims to expand to 100 districts.
Global climate risks and future urban assessments
Global housing data shows 3.4 billion people lack adequate housing, with 1.1 billion living in informal settlements and 300 million people experiencing homelessness.
Climate scientists expect the 2026/27 El Niño to worsen the negative impacts of unmitigated climate risks on urban productivity. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change plans to release a Special Report on Climate Change and Cities in March 2027.
COP32 scheduled for Ethiopia to assess progress
COP32 will take place in Ethiopia to assess progress on project delivery, coordination, and financing.
Frequently Asked Questions
- KCB champions Sustainable Finance,Greening Education (businessquest.co.ke)
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- COP31 Mobilises Urban Resilience Finance and Early Warnings | Sustainability Magazine (sustainabilitymag.com)
- At COP31, leaders gather to tackle climate change | The Shillong Times (theshillongtimes.com)
- COP31 Opens in Antalya: Türkiye Hosts the World as 102 Leaders and Nearly 200 Nations Gather to Decide the Planet’s Climate Future (thegulfobserver.com)
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