COP31 Action Agenda: Ten Themes and 2035 Targets Explained
The COP31 Action Agenda has ten priority themes with voluntary 2035 targets, from electrification to zero waste. See what it is and what it is not.
COP31 Action Agenda Explained: Ten Themes, Voluntary 2035 Targets and What It Does Not Do
Alongside the formal negotiations, COP31 in Antalya has a second track that is easy to miss: the Action Agenda. Led by Türkiye under COP31 President Murat Kurum, it is a platform for voluntary pledges and partnerships, and it will feature heavily during the summit, which opens on 9 November.
What the Action Agenda is
According to the Presidency, the Action Agenda has ten priority themes with measurable 2035 targets. It is meant to accelerate implementation on the road to Antalya, alongside thematic days, the Leaders’ Summit and engagement moments. In a letter to parties dated 24 August, Kurum described it as a practical implementation platform to strengthen partnerships, advance scalable solutions, mobilise finance and investment, and deliver tangible benefits for people, economies and ecosystems.
He also tied it to the five-year vision for the Global Climate Action Agenda launched at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, and said the Presidency would keep consulting parties in a spirit of openness and trust.
The themes
The ten themes include the clean energy transition and electrification, zero waste and methane reduction, and climate-resilient cities. The Presidency publishes the full list on its website, cop31.tr, so check it for the complete set.
Electrification is the most visible. In an op-ed in The Economist, Kurum wrote that governments need to enable the private sector to put its full weight behind electrification. At New York Climate Week in September, the Presidency launched a Global Electrification Pledge and an Antalya Pledge on AI, which will be promoted in Antalya.
What it is not
The distinction between the two tracks is important for readers. The Action Agenda is set by the Presidency and consists of voluntary targets and pledges, whereas the negotiations are party-driven, require consensus and produce formal COP decisions. In other words, an Action Agenda target does not bind any country or company. Its value depends on who signs up, how targets are measured and whether signatories report progress.
The Action Agenda makes up the conference’s agenda outside the negotiations. That separation also reflects the split presidency: Türkiye leads the Action Agenda, and Australia leads the negotiations.
Background: why action agendas matter
Voluntary action tracks have become a feature of recent COPs because negotiated texts move slowly. Governments, cities, companies and investors use them to announce sector commitments, such as methane cuts, clean energy deployment or waste reduction. Supporters say they create momentum and show what can be done without waiting for consensus. Critics say pledges can be vague, duplicate earlier ones and lack enforcement. COP31’s emphasis on measurable 2035 targets is an attempt to answer that criticism by making progress trackable.
What experts expect
Preview coverage notes that the formal negotiations are expected to be technical, with no major new pledges. That leaves the Action Agenda to supply much of the summit’s visible news. If the targets are specific and many signatories join, it could set the tone for the two weeks. If participation is thin, the contrast with a technical negotiating track may become the story.
What to watch
Readers following COP31 should look for four things. First, which of the ten themes draw the largest coalitions. Second, whether targets come with baselines and reporting mechanisms. Third, how the Leaders’ Summit on 11–12 November uses the themes in announcements. Fourth, how the Action Agenda links to the negotiations, for example when pledges on finance or adaptation relate to open negotiating items. The Presidency has said the two tracks are meant to complement each other.
Conclusion
The COP31 Action Agenda is the host’s main tool for showing that Antalya delivers more than negotiated text. Its ten themes and 2035 targets give it a concrete shape, but it remains voluntary, and its credibility will depend on participation and follow-up. For readers, the key point is to separate what countries agree in the negotiations from what coalitions pledge on the side, and to judge each by different standards.
