As the world’s biggest climate change conference – COP31 – kicks off next week in Türkiye, there couldn’t be a more urgent time for world leaders to come together and deliver real climate action.
While real progress is being made on climate goals around the world, the reality is that we need much stronger action. The UN recently warned that the world is on track to exceed the 1.5°C warming limit set in the Paris Agreement, and since that agreement was made in 2015, there have been around 3 million climate-related deaths around the world.
Just in the past year alone, we’ve seen the devastating impact that climate disasters are having on communities that have done the least to cause the problem. Australia broke summer heatwave records in January, with temperatures in excess of 49C degrees around the country.
In Nepal and Tibet, melting glaciers and thawing permafrost led to a catastrophic flash flood that has killed 1,400 people and left more than 5,000 people still missing.
In Vanuatu, the women we work with are facing rising sea levels and more frequent and intense cyclones. They are trapped in a constant state of recovery, with barely a chance to rebuild and prepare for the next disaster.
Now this summer, we face a super El Niño which is driving up temperatures, escalating extreme weather, and causing more severe disasters as communities around the world are already buckling under the strain.
Making the most of this moment
This year, Australia’s Climate Minister Chris Bowen will be leading the negotiations at COP31 in his role as President of Negotiations. This means he has the opportunity to deliver real action for people and the climate, and we want to make sure he makes the most of it.
I’ll be travelling to the COP31 conference with colleagues and partners from the Pacific, including a group of Ni-Vanuatu women who will be sharing the climate solutions they’re working on in their communities – like women-led off-grid solar and disaster early warning systems.
These are the kinds of solutions that need more funding, and we want to remind Minister Bowen of the responsibility we have as a polluting country to get behind our neighbours in the Pacific and around the world who did little to create the climate crisis, but are paying the biggest price.
So while we’re at COP31, these are our key demands:
1. Australia must end fossil fuels
The International Court of Justice advisory opinion on climate change confirmed that governments have a legal obligation to act to protect people and the environment and keep global heating to 1.5°C. Yet governments are not acting quickly enough, as the UN 1.5°C overshoot report made clear.
Global emission reduction targets are well short of the 1.5°C target, and the Australian Government continues to approve fossil fuel projects – such as BHP’s Saraji coal mine and Woodside’s North West Shelf gas export extension, provide subsidies of around $16 billion per year to the fossil fuel industry, and support coal and gas exports. and support coal and gas exports.
As COP31 President, we’re calling on Australia to lead action to end fossil fuels and drive a feminist fossil fuel phase-out that centres human rights and gender equality obligations. Every delay in stopping coal, oil and gas is making climate change more dangerous, putting lives at risk, and deepening gender inequality.
2. Deliver climate finance to communities hit hardest
One of the most contentious issues at every global climate summit is the funding that wealthy, high polluting countries like Australia owe to developing countries that have contributed the least to global warming, to help them to respond to climate change.
Back in 2024, governments agreed to deliver US$300bn in climate finance annually by 2035. But two years on, Australia and many other rich countries still haven’t announced how much funding they will contribute towards this goal.
We’re calling for Australia to pay its fair share of the global climate finance target and to use its leadership role to build momentum amongst other countries to deliver climate finance pledges, and ensure funding is delivered as grants rather than debt-creating loans and supports women to lead climate action in their communities.
3. Create the foundation for a more equitable world
Right around the world, women and communities are already taking action to respond to climate change, and transition away from fossil fuels. We know we need to scale up this transition to avert the worst of the climate crisis, but people shouldn’t have to choose between a secure job and a safe planet. The climate crisis must be addressed in a way that helps people, and doesn’t threaten their jobs, land or affordable food and energy.
That’s why we’re calling for governments to establish a Just Transition Mechanism at COP31, that ensures that climate action is underpinned by human rights and gender equality, is participatory and inclusive, and provides practical support, technology sharing to support a fast and equitable transition to a cleaner and more just world.
Australia’s turn to lead
We know that if governments act together and listen to our demands, we can avert the worst impacts of climate change and create a future where women around the world have what they need to build a secure life and be at the forefront of climate action so no one is left behind.
But we need urgent leadership to make this happen.
Australia has put its hand up to lead negotiations in Türkiye this year. We will be watching closely to ensure it delivers real action for women and communities on the climate frontlines.
We’re building a movement of Australians who are holding big polluters to account, campaigning for governments to fund climate solutions, and getting behind women around the world who are leading climate action in their communities. Join us, and help power change.