Action Agenda event connects COP30 and COP31 around climate implementation

Transition between presidencies maintains focus on turning commitments into concrete results

COP31 will continue the direction set by COP30, with an emphasis on implementing initiatives and advancing the global climate agenda. This alignment was reinforced during an Action Agenda webinar held on Tuesday (31), which brought together leaders from both conferences to discuss the next steps of the Marrakech Partnership — a UN-backed global initiative that connects governments, the private sector and civil society to accelerate climate action — for the 2026–2030 period. The event also featured Samed Ağırbaş, the new High-Level Climate Champion for COP31 (CHLC), who shared his vision for the next phase of the climate agenda.

Ana Toni, CEO of COP30, emphasized that the current moment calls for accelerating practical action. “In the era of implementation, the agenda becomes even more important, because it is where we can accelerate action,” she said. According to her, the structure that has been built — with six axes, 30 key-objectives and hundreds of initiatives — must now be put into practice to deliver real impact. “We do not want to see one initiative considered more important than another. We need to act together, with greater transparency and accountability. The focus is on accelerating results, enhancing transparency and integrating action and negotiation over the next five years,” she added.

Turkey’s Deputy Minister of Environment, Fatma Varank, stressed that COP31, to be held in Antalya, will be defined by the implementation of climate targets. “We need to move from commitments to the concrete implementation of targets that can bring together civil society, cities, local governments, investors and youth. The process must promote integration, knowledge-sharing and collective engagement, with a focus on sustainable economic models and resilient cities. COP31 must go beyond discussions, delivering tangible results and strengthening communities,” she said.

Dan Ioschpe, High-Level Climate Champion for COP30, highlighted that climate action is no longer parallel to negotiations but has become central. “Climate action is at the heart of the implementation era,” he stated. He described the current architecture as “a machine designed to close the gap between what is promised and what is delivered,” while warning of the need for continuous action. “This machine needs to operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” he said.

As the new High-Level Climate Champion for COP31, Samed Ağırbaş presented a vision grounded in inclusion and systemic transformation. “The vision for action belongs to all of us. It is not about one country,” he said. He called for structural changes in the global economy. “We cannot decarbonize a dysfunctional system. We need to redesign it.” Ağırbaş also highlighted the role of the circular economy and waste reduction as fast pathways to address the climate crisis.

The importance of inclusion and accessible communication was reinforced by Christian Mensah, Senior Advisor to the COP31 CHLC. For him, it is essential to translate the climate agenda into terms that people can understand. “We need to speak in a language people understand so they can feel part of the process,” he said.

Tuğba Dinçbaş, Director of the COP31 Action Agenda, also highlighted the creation of mechanisms to identify implementation gaps and mobilize finance, with greater participation from the private sector. While presenting Türkiye’s priority areas, she emphasized their alignment with the Action Agenda’s axes structure and reaffirmed that the Turkish Presidency recognizes and will support the work of all initiatives across the ecosystem. “We built the COP31 Action Agenda on the structure established by COP30 because we believe this approach responds to a real need from an implementation perspective. We want to advance this work collectively, strengthening partnerships and connecting initiatives to accelerate implementation in the months and years ahead,” she said.

Closing the meeting, Bruna Cerqueira, Director of the COP30 Action Agenda, highlighted the work carried out by Action Agenda initiatives and stakeholders of the Marrakech Partnership. With a focus on maintaining the established structure, she outlined key milestones on the road to COP31, including meetings of the Activation Groups, coordination groups of the axes and Climate Weeks, identified as key moments for initiatives to present progress on their Plans do Accelerate Solutions.

She also emphasized strengthened governance, with the engagement of the Champions and support from the UNFCCC, as well as the creation of communities of action to broaden participation. Another key development highlighted was improved monitoring, with greater transparency, indicators, and impact measurement.

“The agenda also foresees enhanced communication of results, integration with global climate weeks and the development of Plans do Accelerate Solutions (PAS)— with more than 120 initiatives already submitted,” she noted.

Finally, Bruna Cerqueira stated that next steps have been defined, including consultations, technical meetings and strengthening the registration of initiatives on the official platform, ensuring greater predictability and coordination throughout the year.

The webinar, which brought together approximately 700 participants, signals a shift in the global climate agenda, consolidating the transition from ambition to implementation. Expectations are that COP31 will advance this movement, turning commitments into concrete actions capable of generating impact at a global scale.