#WhatTheCOPThe unofficial guide to COP31
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Plain English. Technical adds agenda codes and official documents.Agenda codes, document names and formal wording, for people who follow the process.
Money · Paris Agreement agenda, item 11, part g · Paris Agreement agenda, item 11, part f · Convention agenda, item 8, part a

Who pays to help poorer countries deal with climate change?

Work programme on climate finance, including Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement

Under the , rich countries promised to give money to poorer ones so they can cut emissions and protect themselves from climate impacts.

How much has really arrived, and what should count as climate money, has been argued about for years. At COP30 in Belém, countries agreed to spend two years working through it. At COP31 they decide how that work runs.

Modalities, scope and expected outputs of the two-year work programme on climate finance, including Article 9.1, established at CMA 7.

Article 9.1 obliges developed country Parties to provide financial resources to developing country Parties for mitigation and adaptation.

CMA 7 also agreed to triple adaptation finance by 2035 and took note of the Baku to Belém Roadmap to 1.3T.

Talks resume on 9 NovemberResumes at COP31, 9 November

Why it matters

Without this money, many countries cannot pay for flood defences, clean energy or early warning systems.

How we got here

Where COP31 picks up: COP30 set up a two-year work programme on what rich countries owe. Bonn could not agree how to run it, so COP31 has to.

Have COPs worked? The bigger picture →

What they will argue aboutOpen issues

  • What counts as climate money? Only public money given by rich countries, or also private investment and loans that have to be paid back.
  • How do we check it arrives? How detailed the reporting on money given and received should be.
  • What happens at the end? Whether the two years end with a report to read or a decision countries must follow.
  • Scope. Article 9.1 provision only, or all flows under Article 2.1(c).
  • Linkages. Relationship with the NCQG, the Roadmap to 1.3T and the tripling of adaptation finance.
  • Outputs. Report, recommendations to CMA 9 or a draft decision.

Agenda items

Paris Agreement agenda, item 11, part gWork programme on climate finance, including Article 9.1
Paris Agreement agenda, item 11, part fArticle 2.1(c) and its complementarity with Article 9
Convention agenda, item 8, part aLong-term climate finance

From the provisional agendas, FCCC/CP/2026/1 and FCCC/PA/CMA/2026/1. Draft texts, versions and bracket counts appear here once talks open.

What has happened so farStatus log

This question carries on from COP30 (see How we got here, above). Talks resume on 9 November: from then, every new draft and every change of status is listed here, with the time and a link to the document.

Only on WhatTheCOP

Want to hear it discussed? Pavilion sessions on this

Mon 9 Nov · 11:15Restoring Land, Redirecting Finance: Delivering the Just Rural Transition for Food Security
Türkiye PavilionMon 9 Nov · 12:00SS2 – HIGH-LEVEL SESSION INNOVATIVE FINANCING FOR NATIONAL PARK AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION
Indonesia PavilionMon 9 Nov · 14:45Sustainable Financing Models for Water Infrastructure from a Climate Change Perspective
Türkiye PavilionMon 9 Nov · 15:30Unlocking private investment to scale health resilience
Health PavilionTue 10 Nov · 10:00From Carbon Markets to Transition Finance: Navigating the New Climate Economy
Türkiye PavilionTue 10 Nov · 10:00Nature on the Balance Sheet -Development of Financial Mechanisms for Natural Capital and International Rule Making for their Delivery-
Japan Pavilion
The whole programme →