In October 2026, the United Nations climate agenda is focused on preparations for COP31, scheduled for 9 to 20 November in Antalya, Türkiye. The Geneva Environment Network described 19 to 25 October as the period “three weeks ahead” of the conference. The UN’s climate-policy outlook is also shaped by the 2026 Emissions Gap Report, which sets out the scale of emissions reductions needed to limit warming.
Information from the report, global greenhouse-gas emissions would need to fall 18% by 2030 and 45% by 2035, compared with 2025 levels. By 2040, the required reduction reaches 69%. This pathway is associated with limiting peak warming to about 1.7 to 1.8°C. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, summarized the near-term requirement as “cutting global greenhouse gas emissions by 18 per cent by 2030 and 45 per cent by 2035, compared with 2025 levels.” The statement appears in the UN Secretary-General’s press materials.
National climate pledges remain below that pathway: if fully implemented, they are projected to reduce emissions by 5% to 8% by 2030 and 11% to 15% by 2035 against the same 2025 baseline. UNEP’s assessment frames these figures as an emissions gap and calls for faster action. Its message ahead of COP31 is that “overshoot is not surrender.” The reductions cover greenhouse gases as a whole and use a specified baseline, so they are not directly interchangeable with a percentage target using a different scope or reference year.
Coal policy and climate finance remain basic issues in international climate negotiations, alongside assistance for vulnerable communities. Turning those priorities into measurable outcomes depends on national plans and funding decisions, as well as implementation over time. In Europe, energy strategies are shaped by domestic and EU policy. The relationship between European solidarity and coordinated action was also discussed after the Ceuta migration crisis in this analysis of changing EU priorities.
The next milestones are the COP31 talks in Antalya and the subsequent translation of climate commitments into national policy, investment and emissions reporting. The UN Secretary-General’s statement on the 2026 Emissions Gap Report is available at press.un.org/en/2026/sgsm23340.doc.htm, while UN News summarized the United Nations Environment Programme’s assessment. The basic policy challenge remains closing the gap between current pledges and the emissions pathway required through 2040.
