PM Shehbaz to address COP31 summit, attend high-level clean energy meeting today

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to have a busy schedule on Wednesday as he will participate in high-level engagements at the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Antalya, Turkiye.

PM Shehbaz will attend a high-level meeting hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, titled “Clean Energy Transition by 2035: Powering the Future,” where he will deliver an important address outlining his vision for renewable energy.

The prime minister will also present the country’s National Statement at the COP31 Leaders’ Summit, highlighting the country’s position on climate justice and the challenges faced by nations severely affected by climate change, PM’s Office said in a statement.

During his address, PM Shehbaz is expected to call for greater international cooperation and practical measures to address the climate crisis, particularly for developing countries that remain vulnerable to its devastating effects.

Meetings with world leaders

The prime minister will also hold meetings with several world leaders during the day, with discussions expected to focus on bilateral relations and shared climate challenges. Later in the evening, PM Shehbaz will attend a Gala Dinner hosted by President Erdogan in honour of visiting world leaders.

Pakistan’s climate priorities

During his engagements at the summit, PM Shehbaz is expected to highlight Pakistan’s efforts to accelerate solarisation, expand renewable energy capacity and transition towards cleaner and more sustainable energy sources.

He will also stress the importance of strengthening developing countries’ capacity to cope with climate-related challenges and achieve sustainable development goals.

Pakistan’s participation comes as the country continues to call for predictable, adequate and accessible climate financing for developing nations, particularly those bearing the brunt of global warming despite contributing relatively little to global greenhouse gas emissions.

The 2022 floods, which affected around 33 million people across Pakistan, underscored the country’s vulnerability to extreme weather events.

The disaster caused an estimated $14.9 billion in physical damage and $15.2 billion in economic losses, according to a post-disaster assessment by the government and international development partners.
Pakistan had also played a prominent role in international climate negotiations ahead of COP27 in 2022, when it chaired the Group of 77 and China.

Islamabad called for loss-and-damage financing to be placed on the conference’s formal agenda, arguing that climate disasters should not push vulnerable countries further into debt.

COP31 amid worsening climate crisis

The prime minister’s visit comes as world leaders gather in Antalya for COP31, being held from November 9 to 20, to discuss international efforts to tackle climate change and implement existing commitments.
The World Leaders’ Summit, taking place on November 11 and 12, brings together heads of state and government to discuss accelerating climate action and addressing the growing impacts of global warming.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif being received by Mr. Gökhan Yazgı, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism of Türkiye upon arrival at Antalya, Türkiye. pic.twitter.com/d0DwQC6B0I

— Prime Minister's Office (@PakPMO) November 10, 2026

The conference opened on Monday amid mounting concerns over rising global temperatures, increasingly severe climate-related disasters and the widening gap between climate commitments and their implementation.

At the opening of the two-week conference, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell warned that progress in tackling global warming remained far too slow.

A United Nations Environment Programme report published in October warned that the world was on course to exceed the 1.5-degree Celsius warming threshold set under the 2015 Paris Agreement.
This year is also expected to rank among the four hottest on record, according to a UN report, with extreme heatwaves and other climate-related disasters highlighting the urgency of international action.
Clean energy transition on agenda.

Turkiye’s COP31 presidency has placed the clean energy transition high on the agenda, seeking commitments to electrify more than a third of the global economy by 2035, compared with around one-fifth currently.

The summit is expected to focus on translating climate commitments into concrete action, expanding clean energy and improving access to financing for countries most vulnerable to climate change.