The UN climate conference begins in Türkiye on Monday. A new UN estimate puts developing countries’ adaptation needs at about $305 billion a year by 2035.
Delegates gather in Antalya on Monday for COP31, the United Nations climate conference, with governments facing pressure to finance protection against floods, drought and extreme heat. Türkiye is hosting the conference and holds its presidency, while Australia is leading the negotiations under a shared arrangement.
The conference is scheduled for November 9–20. A separate leaders’ summit within it is set for November 11–12. That meeting gives heads of government an early chance to signal their priorities before negotiators work through the language and financing details of any decisions.
The gap in adaptation funding
The UN Environment Programme estimates that developing countries will need roughly $305 billion each year by 2035 to adapt to climate impacts. International public adaptation finance from developed countries to developing countries reached an estimated $28.2 billion to $31.7 billion in 2024.
The figures compare future annual needs with earlier public flows. They show the scale of the task for governments trying to pay for measures such as flood protection, water storage and early-warning systems. UNEP says that achieving the COP30 ambition to triple public adaptation finance by 2035 would cover only 20% to 29% of estimated needs.
A parallel debate over fossil fuels
Governments also face renewed arguments over how to cut fossil fuel use. Disruption to energy supplies has increased attention to the security of electricity and fuel systems, while exposure to extreme weather has made adaptation spending more urgent. Reuters reported that finance and the pace of fossil fuel reductions are expected to be prominent in Antalya.
For countries seeking adaptation funding, the terms matter as much as the headline sums. Governments with limited borrowing room need to know what money will be available, how quickly they can draw on it and what conditions come with it. Those details will help determine whether conference commitments turn into projects.
Sources
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change — COP31 programme
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change — Antalya Leaders’ Summit
UN Environment Programme — Adaptation Gap Report 2026
Reuters — climate finance and fossil fuels on the COP31 agenda
