Thailand Pushes Climate Action at COP31 in Turkey
Thailand's Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Suchart Chomklin, is leading the country's delegation at the COP31 UN climate summit in Antalya, Turkey. The conference brings together 197 nations to move beyond pledges and implement concrete climate action, with Thailand advocating for just transition, climate finance, and its net-zero goals through a dedicated national pavilion.
The 31st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31) officially opened in Antalya, Turkey, running from November 9-20, 2026. Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suchart Chomklin heads the Thai delegation, steering Thailand's engagement in global cooperation amid representatives from 197 countries and more than 100,000 attendees, all aiming to translate climate commitments into tangible results under the "Implementation COP" concept.
During the first week, Minister Suchart directed the Thai delegation — comprising officials from the Department of Climate Change and Environment as the UNFCCC focal point and other relevant agencies — to participate in negotiations and track key issues to advance international cooperation on the climate crisis, ahead of the High-Level Segment from November 16-18 where ministers and senior officials will convene.
As host and COP31 president, Turkey emphasized "Dialogue, Consensus and Action" to build a platform for consensus and real-world implementation, covering energy transition, clean energy infrastructure, finance and technology transfer, and enhanced adaptation capacity, especially for vulnerable nations and communities. Australia, as negotiations chair, pushed for clear, agreed outcomes to accelerate greenhouse gas reductions, keep the 1.5°C temperature limit alive, and ensure developing countries can effectively access climate finance. The UNFCCC Executive Secretary urged all countries to turn targets into action, stressing that every COP must deliver continuous progress.
Minister Suchart highlighted COP31's critical agenda: Just Transition, Climate Finance, Mitigation, Adaptation, the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), adaptation finance, Loss and Damage, technology transfer, capacity building, agriculture, transparency, Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, and the launch of the Second Global Stocktake (GST2).
Thailand also launched its "Thailand Pavilion" to showcase the country's climate action potential and progress, presenting its stance on solving the global climate crisis under the theme "Rooted in Wisdom, Resilient in Action, Flowing Toward Net-Zero," reflecting the use of Thai wisdom and capabilities to drive resilience and the net-zero emissions goal. Inside the pavilion, exhibitions under the 6C concept cover six dimensions: Climate Policy, Climate Finance, Climate Technology, Climate Action, Climate Justice, and Climate Collaboration.
