Resilient40 welcomes the decision to convene the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Antalya, Turkey. As a Global South youth-led and youth-serving Network, we view COP31 as a critical political moment to move beyond commitments and confront the lived realities of climate-vulnerable communities, particularly young people across Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Small Island Developing States.

For Global South youth, the climate crisis is not a distant threat. It is a daily experience marked by climate-induced displacement, food and water insecurity, loss of livelihoods, deteriorating mental health and shrinking civic space. These impacts are compounded by historical injustices, structural inequalities and an international climate regime that continues to underdeliver on finance, adaptation and loss and damage. COP31 must therefore be a turning point where equity, accountability and intergenerational justice are treated not as side issues but as core pillars of climate action.

Resilient40 calls for COP31 to deliver concrete outcomes on climate finance, including the operationalization and capitalization of the Loss and Damage Fund in ways that are accessible, grant-based and responsive to local realities. Adaptation must be elevated with clear targets, measurable progress and direct support to community-led and youth-driven initiatives. Mitigation pathways must align with science while safeguarding development rights and a just transition for Global South economies and workers.

Meaningful youth participation is non-negotiable. Global South youth must be recognized not only as stakeholders, but as rights-holders, knowledge producers and partners in implementation. This requires sustained support for youth leadership, protection of civic space and mechanisms that translate youth inputs into binding decisions.

As we look toward COP31 and the pre-COP processes across the Global South, Resilient40 stands committed to mobilizing youth voices, strengthening South-South solidarity and advancing climate justice. The credibility of COP31 will be measured by its ability to respond to those least responsible yet most affected and to deliver action that matches the urgency of the crisis we face.