What We Know About Cop31's Call for More Climate Spending

Turkey's climate change minister, Murat Kurum, told The Guardian that wealthy nations should spend "much more" on climate action than the 5% of GDP Nato members have pledged for defense, arguing that "the climate issue is the security issue." Kurum made the comment at a pre-Cop31 summit in Nadi, Fiji, this week, ahead of the full UN climate conference set for Antalya, Turkey, next month.

What exactly did the Cop31 host say?

Kurum, who is the Cop31 president-designate, framed climate spending as a security expenditure on par with — or exceeding — military budgets, according to the Guardian's reporting from Fiji. He did not specify a target figure or percentage of GDP that countries should aim for instead of the Nato benchmark. The remark was aimed broadly at wealthy nations rather than any single government.

Why did he compare climate spending to the Nato defense pledge?

The 5% of GDP figure comes from a commitment Nato members have made for defense spending — a benchmark that has drawn international attention amid wars and broader geopolitical tension. By invoking that number, Kurum was drawing a direct comparison between military outlays and the scale of resources he believes the climate crisis demands, positioning climate finance as a matter of national security rather than only environmental policy. The Guardian's report does not include a response from Nato or from specific Nato governments to the comparison.

Where does Turkey stand on phasing out fossil fuels?

Kurum's comments on defense spending were paired with a more hedged position on fossil fuels. Asked whether Cop31 should reaffirm a previous Cop28 agreement for the world to "transition away from fossil fuels" — the primary driver of the climate crisis — Kurum did not commit, telling the Guardian the world is "already in a transition" and suggesting fossil fuel use could be addressed through other steps rather than a direct restatement of that language. The Guardian notes this position is "likely to prove contentious" among delegations that pushed for the original 2023 fossil fuel language.

Who showed up to the Fiji pre-Cop meeting, and who didn't?

The Nadi gathering drew a comparatively thin head-of-state turnout. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined only 13 national leaders, most from Pacific island nations, according to the Guardian. Australia holds the newly created role of "president of negotiations" for Cop31 and had pushed to hold the pre-Cop session in the Pacific specifically to spotlight island nations most exposed to rising seas and extreme weather.

Beyond the small head-of-state group, roughly 30 ministers attended, including representatives from India and European nations, alongside officials from major emitters China and Saudi Arabia, heads of global agencies, and about 4,000 other attendees in total, the Guardian reported. The outlet attributed the limited leader turnout to a mix of factors: war-driven geopolitical turmoil, what it called a historic energy crisis, and what it described as an unpredictable, climate-denying US administration, combined with the fact that many leaders expect to attend the main Antalya summit in a few weeks anyway.

What happens next at Cop31?

The full Cop31 summit convenes in Antalya, Turkey, in November, with Kurum presiding as host and Australia running the negotiations track. The open question flagged by the Guardian's reporting is whether delegations in Antalya will push to reaffirm or strengthen the 2023 fossil fuel transition language that Kurum declined to commit to in Fiji — a fight that is expected to resurface once the full roster of national delegations, including the larger emitters that sent only ministers to the pre-Cop meeting, arrives at the table.

Data points from the Fiji pre-Cop summit

• 13 national leaders attended, most from Pacific island nations, alongside Australia's Albanese.
• ~30 ministers attended, including from India and European countries.
• ~4,000 total attendees, including officials from China, Saudi Arabia, and global agency heads.
• 5% of GDP: the Nato defense spending pledge Kurum used as his comparison point for climate spending.

Glossary

• Cop31: The 31st UN Conference of the Parties climate summit, to be held in Antalya, Turkey, in November 2026.
• President-designate: The host-country official, in this case Kurum, who chairs the summit and shapes its negotiating agenda.
• President of negotiations: A role newly assigned to Australia for Cop31, running the negotiations track alongside Turkey's hosting role.
• "Transition away from fossil fuels": Language agreed at Cop28 in 2023 calling for a global shift away from fossil fuel use, the subject of Kurum's hedge in Fiji.
• Nato 5% GDP pledge: A defense-spending benchmark set by Nato member states, which Kurum used as a point of comparison for climate spending levels.