ANTALYA, Turkey, Nov 11 - World leaders including Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan set out their climate priorities in speeches at COP31 in Turkey on Wednesday.
UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTONIO GUTERRES
"The brutal truth is that the climate crisis is outrunning us. Emissions in 2025 reached all-time highs. Heat records keep shattering. The last four years were the hottest ever and fossil fuel interests keep making a killing, while killing our planet. Climate disasters are pounding lives, livelihoods and economies across the globe. This is the path to mutually assured destruction"
"Our battle with climate change unfortunately comes at a time when the international system is grappling with tougher issues. Wars, crises, migration, famine and poverty increase the need for international solidarity each day. Besides humans, nature is also paying for the heavy price that armed conflicts are causing."
BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT, LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA (via translator)
"A year ago, the planet left COP30 invigorated... (but) this momentum has dropped off at the start of this year. Climate change disappeared from the speeches and documents from global leadership.
"In the G7 and G20 meetings fora that bring together the biggest greenhouse effect gas emitters in the world, this concern turned into silence.
"We started talking more about weapons and tariffs than the survival of future generations.
