As delegates gather in Antalya, Turkey, for the 31st UN Climate Change Conference, the Swiss delegation arrives determined to secure concrete emissions progress and financial support for vulnerable nations, even as scientific reports warn that the 1.5-degree warming limit is increasingly out of reach.
The summit runs from November 9 to 20, bringing representatives from 197 states together to negotiate the implementation of the Paris Agreement, rts.ch reported. Felix Wertli, who leads the Swiss delegation, explained that this year’s gathering serves as a working conference rather than a venue for sweeping new treaties, with major decisions anticipated in two years.
Switzerland’s strategy focuses on achievable, high-impact domains capable of rapid implementation. Wertli pointed to accelerating global electrification—projected to reach 35 percent by 2035—alongside stricter reductions in methane emissions, according to rts.ch.
Berne also plans to push for a structured roadmap to phase out fossil fuels.
While the UN warns that global temperatures will likely surpass the 1.5-degree pre-industrial threshold, Wertli insisted the Paris Agreement remains indispensable. He noted that the planet was previously on track for a catastrophic 4-degree warming trajectory when the accord was signed in 2015, whereas current projections sit between 2.6 and 2.8 degrees.
| Climate Metric | Recorded Value / Status |
|---|---|
| COP31 Dates | November 9–20, 2026 (Antalya, Turkey) |
| Swiss Glacier Volume Loss (2026) | ~5.5% (Second-highest on record) |
| Global Warming Projections (Current) | 2.6°C to 2.8°C by 2100 |
| Target Electrification Rate (Global) | 35% by 2035 |
Ahead of the Antalya talks, Thomas Häusler, climate expert for the WWF and a member of the Swiss delegation, emphasized that the impacts of warming are already a domestic reality for Switzerland.
Speaking to Watson, Häusler noted that while G20 nations generate roughly three-quarters of global greenhouse gases, smaller nations also carry responsibility, given that countries contributing just one percent of emissions account for nearly 30 percent of the global total when combined.
