Experts Call for Urgent Action on Climate and Air Pollution Ahead of COP 31

October 17, 2026 - 13:45

A group of experts is pressing finance ministers to treat air pollution and climate change as a single, connected crisis rather than two separate problems. Their appeal comes as climate negotiators prepare for the upcoming Climate Change Conference in Antalya, known as COP 31, where delegates will attempt to move from broad promises to concrete commitments.

The experts argue that finance ministries hold a powerful but underused tool: the way public money is spent and taxed. By redirecting subsidies away from fossil fuels and toward clean energy, public transport, and pollution controls, governments could cut emissions and improve air quality at the same time. They describe this as an emergency brake that is available now, without waiting for new technology or years of negotiation.

The proposal calls on negotiators in Antalya to build a formal roadmap that links air pollution targets with climate goals. Such a roadmap would set clear milestones, assign responsibility to finance ministries, and track progress through transparent reporting. Supporters say this approach would prevent the two issues from being handled in separate silos, where gains in one area are often undermined by decisions in the other.

Air pollution remains one of the leading environmental risks to public health worldwide, contributing to millions of premature deaths each year. Many of the same sources that drive global warming, including the burning of coal, oil, and gas, also release harmful particles into the air. Addressing them together, the experts contend, would deliver faster benefits for both the climate and public health while making better use of limited public funds.

The group is urging finance ministers to arrive at COP 31 with concrete plans rather than general statements. They want national budgets to reflect climate and clean air priorities, and they are asking for stronger international cooperation on financing clean energy transitions in developing countries. Without that financial backing, they warn, even well designed roadmaps will struggle to produce results.

As delegates gather in Antalya, the message from the experts is direct: the money exists, the solutions are known, and the cost of delay keeps rising. What is needed now is the political will to connect climate policy with clean air policy and to put finance ministries at the center of the effort.