COP31 Negotiating Agenda and Action Agenda: Differences and Key Points

On September 21, at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Murat Kurum, Turkish Minister of the Environment and President of the COP31 Climate Conference,  began his remarks to senior representatives from more than 20 countries by picking up a small wooden gavel and explaining that it is used to formalize important decisions in plenary sessions. This marked the beginning of a two-hour presentation where he officially presented the COP31 Action Agenda. The conference will take place from November 9 through November 20 in the city of Antalya (Türkiye). As Kurum said, “There is a strong consensus regarding the urgency of the climate crisis… Now is the time to turn existing commitments into measurable results on the ground through dialogue, consensus and action.”

The Action Agenda, developed under each COP presidency, and the negotiating agenda, formally managed by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are two mechanisms that coexist and pursue the same goal: to respond to the same climate emergency. However, they differ in their nature, stakeholders and goals.

“There are currently two negotiation processes. Traditionally, there was only one, the official negotiating agenda, the formal, legal process that leads to binding decisions agreed upon by the 198 Parties to the UNFCCC (197 countries and one regional integration organization, the European Union). Meanwhile, the Action Agenda began in 2014, at COP20 in Lima, and it serves as a mechanism for all voluntary commitments outside the formal negotiations, involving companies, cities, banks, investors, civil society, universities…” explained Lara Lozano Touza, Senior Analyst from the Energy and Climate Program at the Real Instituto Elcano.

What is the COP31 Negotiating Agenda and who sets it?

It is the document that outlines the issues governments will discuss, and, where appropriate, adopt decisions on during COP31 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It is an institutional agenda and covers only the formal items subject to consideration by the parties, rather than all the climate initiatives that will take place during the conference. The UNFCCC Secretariat prepares and publishes a provisional agenda according to the rules and consultations governing the process. Later, it will be formally approved at COP31.

Before the final negotiating agenda is adopted, preparatory negotiations take place in June in the German city of Bonn. There, representatives of the 197 countries that have ratified the UNFCCC attempt to reach an agreement on the items that will be included on the agenda, overcome obstacles and strengthen cooperation to prepare for decision-making in Antalya.

“This agenda is a constant negotiation process, with intersessional meetings prior to COP where the negotiations and texts that will reach the conference are prepared. On the first day of COP31. This agenda is adopted and the items to be negotiated are outlined. During the first week, meetings are more technical, while the second week focuses on high-level discussions and closing negotiations. Those that cannot be completed are moved on to the following Climate Conference,” Lozano said.

The official COP31 document covers everything from organizational issues to some of the main challenges in international climate policy. These include reports on climate change adaptation, mitigation, loss and damage, financing, a just transition, transparency and agriculture.

Formal negotiations will also take place under a shared leadership structure: Türkiye holds the COP31 presidency, while Australia has a specific role in guiding the negotiations. “If we look at the joint letters from senior representatives of Türkiye and Australia,” the researcher from Real Instituto El Cano noted, “they show the focus of the negotiating agenda. They refer to a special envoy for adaptation and resilience in light of the summers we have been experiencing, and another for the Pacific region. They also emphasize the implementation of adaptation plans to limit the increase in global average temperature to a maximum of 1.5oC above pre-industrial levels. We need to get back on track as soon as possible because we are passing that threshold.”

Regarding the just transition, “we need to prepare for the second global stocktake, which ends in 2028. In terms of financing, it is critical to align financial flows with climate targets and provide support for countries that need it most. Countries that have not sent their commitments will also be reminded to do so, and work on the transparency reports will be further developed. And on the topic of agriculture, a cross-cutting area of interest, climate change is affecting food security, and we must pay attention to different areas where water stress could become a major problem.

What is the COP31 Action Agenda?

The COP31 Action Agenda is a parallel track geared toward the practical implementation of climate commitments. It does not replace the UN’s formal negotiations. Instead, it aims to promote initiatives, coalitions and projects that enable the international agreements to be translated into concrete, voluntary actions. Since its 2014 launch, the Action Agenda has led to the creation of the Global Climate Action Portal, known as Nazca, which compiles and displays progress made on commitments under this agenda in map format.

The Turkish presidency has framed COP31 around the goal of moving “from dialogue to consensus and from consensus to action,” with a focus on accelerating the implementation of climate commitments. And to do so, participation is needed from not only national governments, but also cities, companies, financial institutions, international organizations, scientists and civil society.

The Turkish presidency has identified ten priority areas for the Action Agenda:

• Zero waste: advancing the circular economy and reducing methane emissions from waste. The target is to reduce projected growth from solid waste by 50 percent.
• Oceans and seas: strengthening the resilience of marine ecosystems and solutions based on blue carbon.
• Food security: transforming agriculture and food systems into more sustainable, resilient models.
• Climate resilient cities: promoting infrastructure, buildings and urban planning that are adapted to climate change. The goal is to reduce energy consumption in buildings by 25 percent.
• Climate Implementation Bridge: connecting climate commitments to investment, financing and execution.
• Youth and education: increasing youth participation and climate literacy.
• Green industrialization: promoting low-carbon, competitive industrial pathways.
• Clean energy transition: accelerating electrification, energy grids and access to clean energy. The goal is to increase the share of global energy demand met by electricity to 35 percent by 2035.
• Rio synergies: integrating climate, biodiversity and the fight against desertification.
• Dynamic and resilient health systems: strengthening the health response to climate risks.

The presidency underscored the goal of moving toward greater global electrification. Its target is to reach 35 percent electrification by 2035, presented as a priority to accelerate decarbonization and improve energy security.

Activities in parallel to COP31

In addition to these ten priorities, COP31 will also feature side events with global leaders, sector-specific meetings, and opportunities for collaboration among governments and non-state actors. The Antalya conference is divided into two zones: the blue zone and the green zone.

• Blue zone: It is the official area where meetings related to the negotiating agenda take place. It is the main diplomatic space for the highest-level meetings.
• Green zone. This is an open, collaborative space that connects different audiences, and where corporate, academic and civil society organizations present their climate solutions. It serves as a ‘platform for innovation, knowledge sharing and public participation,’ according to the official COP31 website.

“All the parallel activities are valuable. The meetings with the greatest political weight will set the tone for the negotiations. Then there are the thematic sessions, which are very important in my experience as companies attend them. And we cannot forget the activities in the green zone, which even though they are complementary, show the commitments and showcase our knowledge,” Lara Lozano said.

How are the two agendas related?

“The negotiating agenda is the umbrella of bEconomía y finanzasinding and non-binding decisions that shape the direction of national policies and send signals to the market. Since 2014, the Action Agenda has served to recognize what is essential and provide a more agile mechanism to give visibility to the commitments. Ideally, the two agendas should be better integrated, even if they operate at different speeds,” Lara Lozano added.

The two agendas are not separate mechanisms, but complementary dimensions of the same conference, and both are based on a negotiation process. “Everything must be agreed upon – not unanimously, but through broad consensus. That is why negotiations take so long,” the Spanish researcher stated.

The first agenda, the official negotiating agenda, establishes the international rules, commitments and political decisions. It is the space where governments agree on common frameworks, financial mechanisms or institutional mandates. The second, the Action Agenda, seeks to answer the question of how to turn these agreements into tangible results. That is the reason it includes actors that do not directly participate in the diplomatic negotiations.

The very structure of COP31 reflects this double nature. While the negotiating agenda covers issues such as financing, adaptation, technology and governance within the UN system, the Action Agenda aims to accelerate implementation through alliances and concrete objectives. The success of Antalya will therefore depend on the ability to connect both pathways, to ensure that the negotiated decisions find real tools for implementation and that voluntary initiatives help reinforce the climate targets agreed upon by the countries.

Frequently Asked Questions About the COP31 Agendas

Who approves the COP31 negotiating agenda?

The parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) formally approve the agenda at the start of the conference, based on a provisional proposal.

Are the initiatives in the Action Agenda mandatory?

No. The Action Agenda promotes initiatives and voluntary commitments by governments, companies, cities and other actors. It does not replace the formal decision-making process.

What role do Türkiye and Australia play in COP31?

Türkiye holds the COP31 presidency, while Australia is leading the negotiation processes, in coordination with the Turkish presidency.

What is the NAZCA climate action portal?

It is a UN platform that records and displays climate commitments and initiatives from companies, cities, regions and other actors. It was launched in 2014.

What is the difference between the blue zone and the green zone?

The blue zone hosts the official negotiations and accredited COP31 activities. The green zone is used for meetings, exhibitions and the participation of companies, organizations and civil society.