COP31: 2026 marked by extreme weather ahead of Antalya summit
Wildfires, category‑5 Hurricane Polo and widespread floods have pushed climate change to the top of the agenda for COP31 in Antalya, 9–20 November.
Year 2026 has seen an unprecedented wave of extreme weather events around the globe, ranging from destructive wildfires and rare fire whirls to powerful hurricanes, storms and catastrophic floods.
In France, firefighters battled violent fire whirls, while in Mexico Hurricane Polo “for just 24 hours” transformed from a tropical storm into a category five hurricane, according to meteorological reports.
Heavy rains triggered floods across multiple countries. The impact proved especially severe in Mozambique, Paraguay, Syria, Turkey and Mexico, where floodwaters destroyed homes and infrastructure, caused human casualties and forced thousands to abandon their residences.
Scientists link the pattern to climate change
Strong winds and violent storms also left damage in the United States, India and the United Kingdom, compounding a year of mounting losses for communities and local economies.
Climate scientists warn that rising global temperatures are increasing both the intensity and likelihood of such extreme events. Analyses by climate experts point to global warming and greenhouse gas emissions as factors that strengthen the conditions for destructive disasters.
Those same challenges are expected to be central topics at COP31, the UN climate summit scheduled to take place in Antalya, Turkey from 9 to 20 November.
Photo: press material from the event
