Pre-COP Opens in Fiji as Pacific Nations Set the Tone for COP31 in Antalya

October 5, 2026: Climate ministers and negotiators gather in Fiji from today for the Pre-COP, the last major ministerial meeting before COP31, the UN climate conference to be held in Antalya, Türkiye, from November 9 to 20, 2026. A leaders' event in Tuvalu forms part of the programme running until October 8.

COP31 is being organised under a distinctive arrangement agreed at COP30 in Belém, Brazil:

Pacific island nations are among the most vulnerable to sea-level rise, stronger cyclones and ocean warming. Tuvalu, a low-lying atoll nation, has become a global symbol of climate risk. Holding the Pre-COP there is designed to bring decision-makers face-to-face with climate impacts and place Pacific priorities, including finance for adaptation and loss and damage, at the centre of talks.

The Australian government has said COP31 will focus on delivery, turning Paris Agreement commitments into practical outcomes. Issues expected to feature include:

COP31 takes place after the United States' withdrawal from the Paris Agreement took effect in January 2026, which has raised questions about finance and ambition. The World Leaders' Summit in Antalya is scheduled for November 11–12, on days three and four of the conference rather than at the start as in previous COPs.

India has consistently pressed for climate finance and technology transfer from developed countries, equity and recognition of development needs. India's positions on finance and trade-related climate measures, such as the EU's carbon border adjustment mechanism, are likely to feature in pre-COP consultations.

An informal ministerial meeting held weeks before a COP to identify areas of agreement and disagreement and prepare political direction for the summit.

November 9–20, 2026, at the Antalya Expo Center in Türkiye.