World leaders have warned that efforts to tackle climate change must not be overshadowed by wars, trade disputes and geopolitical tensions around the globe. They made the call on Wednesday at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Türkiye, stressing the need for urgent and coordinated action to address climate risks. Reuters reported.

Türkiye, the host country of the conference, is prioritising a target to increase the share of electricity in global energy consumption in the final agreement. However, critics argue that the initiative will do little to curb global warming without a clear plan to reduce the use of fossil fuels.

On Wednesday (November 11), heads of state and government from several countries delivered a series of speeches at the conference. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, whose country hosted last year's climate summit, said climate change was gradually losing its place on the global agenda.

"We are now talking more about weapons and tariffs than the survival of future generations. The planet cannot be held hostage to the struggle for dominance," he said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed similar concerns. He said wars, crises, migration, famine and poverty were making the need for international solidarity increasingly urgent every day.

Meanwhile, the war involving the United States and Israel over Iran this year has disrupted crude oil supplies from the Middle East, driving up energy prices worldwide. In response, countries have stepped up efforts to secure reliable energy supplies.

As a result, tackling climate change has slipped down the list of urgent priorities for many governments. However, climate activists argue that the crisis has made the need to rapidly expand clean energy as an alternative to oil even more evident.

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman offered a different perspective. He said the current geopolitical situation underscored the importance of ensuring an uninterrupted supply of all forms of energy.

He also cautioned that climate protection measures should not become obstacles for countries or undermine their economic development.

At COP31, representatives from nearly 200 countries are discussing a Turkish proposal to increase the share of electricity in global energy consumption. Under the proposal, electricity's share would rise from just over 20 per cent currently to 35 per cent by 2035.

The discussions also seek to revive stalled efforts to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

Earlier on Wednesday, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned world leaders that the international community's slow response to climate change was pushing the planet towards destruction. He stressed the urgency of taking swift and effective action to reverse the situation.