Dr. Louise Firth, a professor at University College Cork, describes 2026 as a “turning point” for global warming. Citing extreme weather across Europe this summer and an energy crisis linked to the war in Iran, she calls the moment “a case for action.”
Dr. Firth urges the international community to provide financial support to Pacific Island nations. Although they are neither the largest polluters nor the primary contributors to the climate crisis, she says these countries are “the ones that are going to experience it the most.”
Although the Trump administration did not send an official delegation to the summit, Dr. Firth believes the event still “shines a light” on the issue and can “provide impetus for more action,” underscoring the continued value of COP despite the United States’ absence.
Dr. Firth is attending COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye.