Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called on world leaders to rally behind vulnerable Pacific nations and accelerate clean energy investment at the COP31 Leaders Summit in Türkiye, even as climate advocates challenge Australia over its ongoing coal and gas expansion.
Addressing the summit in Antalya, Albanese framed the talks, where Australia is presiding over negotiations alongside host nation Türkiye, as a decisive moment to turn climate ambition into practical outcomes.
Recounting a recent visit to Tuvalu, where islands sit an average of just 1.83 metres above sea level, he shared a plea from 13-year-old student Melelusi Sokotia for international partnership to protect Pacific schools, homes, and water systems.
“Their brave and resourceful people need us to act. They are pleading for us to do so,” Albanese said.
“We have a solemn responsibility to this and to future generations to act. This is the critical decade.”
While acknowledging the world is likely to overshoot the Paris Agreement’s 1.5-degree warming limit, Albanese argued global action has already dragged projected warming down from four degrees to roughly 2.6 degrees.
He touted Australia’s domestic clean energy rollout, noting renewables now provide half the nation’s electricity alongside more than 600,000 home batteries installed in the past year, and highlighted the newly established Pacific Resilience Facility as vital regional climate finance.
However, Australia’s bid to champion Pacific interests drew immediate scrutiny following a stark warning from United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres against building new fossil fuel infrastructure.
In response, Greenpeace Australia Pacific Head of Advocacy Dr Susie Byers said Australia must “lead by example” if it wants to inject genuine momentum into the two-week negotiations.
“Australia takes the reins of the COP31 talks at a critical moment where global instability can spark transformative change, or entrench more of the same inaction and paper pledges,” Dr Byers said.
“The world’s most important job in Antalya is to deliver tangible action to end the fossil fuel era.”
She welcomed Australia’s domestic renewable gains while urging the government to halt new coal and gas projects.
“The best way for Australia to lead through this summit is to start by making its own commitments to turn the temperature down, by stopping developing and exporting fossil fuels,” she added.
“The pressure on Australia is building. COP31 must deliver real action to advance multilateral climate cooperation, accelerate the just transition away from fossil fuels, and advance Pacific priorities.”