COP31 leaders have released a list of priorities raised by countries at the UN climate talks in Türkiye, placing the contentious transition away from fossil fuels among the issues that could feature in a final political agreement.
Australia, which is steering negotiations alongside co-host Türkiye, is pushing for a broad political agreement known as a "cover decision", which would require consensus among participating countries.
As the two-week conference approaches its midpoint, the Australian team published a "Summary of Reflections" on Friday, outlining proposals raised during discussions without identifying the countries behind them.
The list includes several long-standing divisions between wealthy, developing and oil-producing nations.
"There’s all kinds of signals being sent here about what could be in the cover decision," Alden Meyer, an expert at climate think tank E3G, told AFP.
"The big question is what can survive that test of opposition by different groups of countries," he added.
Fossil fuel transition remains a major sticking point
One of the central proposals concerns the "transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems", a commitment reached after difficult negotiations at COP28 in Dubai in 2023.
However, explicit references to the transition were absent from the final decisions at COP29 in Azerbaijan and COP30 in Brazil, with oil-producing countries accused of resisting the language.
Another proposal calls for tripling adaptation finance, which helps developing countries strengthen infrastructure and prepare for the effects of climate change.
The issue remains contentious, with the European Union warning that there is little political appetite for additional funding commitments at the Antalya summit.
Countries divided over climate science and warming limits
The proposals also include efforts to limit the "magnitude and duration" of global warming beyond the 1.5-degree Celsius threshold above pre-industrial levels, as the world is expected to exceed that target.
Some countries have also called for recognition of the central role of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Nearly 200 countries are involved in the panel, and many want its next major assessment report published in time for a key UN climate summit in 2028.
But countries including Saudi Arabia, India and China have argued that more time is needed to incorporate scientific research and data from developing nations, favouring publication in 2029 instead.
Draft agreement expected next week
A first draft of the potential COP31 agreement could be published on Monday, although reaching consensus remains a challenge.
Meyer said Australia's negotiating team would have to proceed carefully, warning that some countries were questioning the legitimacy of the proposed cover decision.
Russia and the Arab Group are among those arguing that there is no mandate for such an overarching agreement.
COP31 is scheduled to conclude on November 20, although climate negotiations have frequently extended beyond their official deadlines.
