PM Shehbaz leaves for Turkiye today to address COP31 Leaders’ Summit tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif leaves for Turkiye today to attend the Leaders’ Summit of COP31, the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in Antalya. The Foreign Office said the prime minister’s visit will run from November 10 to 12, and he will address the summit tomorrow, November 11.

In his address, the prime minister will urge the international community to take concrete action against the growing threat of climate change. Pakistan is among the countries worst affected by climate change despite contributing almost nothing to global emissions, and Islamabad has long pressed richer nations for climate justice.

High-level roundtable and bilateral meetings
According to the Foreign Office, the prime minister will also attend a high-level roundtable convened by the COP31 presidency on the sidelines of the Leaders’ Summit, and hold bilateral meetings with the Turkish leadership as well as several other world leaders. The meetings will focus on strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation.

Talks open with a fight over money
The COP31 climate talks kicked off on Monday with an early fight over money, as the UN chief urged world leaders to “get serious” about tackling the crisis after a year of devastating weather extremes. The prime minister’s visit comes as Pakistan continues to seek global cooperation to deal with the effects of climate change.