What happened
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will not attend the COP31 climate conference in Antalya, scheduled to open on 9 November. Deputy federal government spokesperson Steffen Meyer said Merz had thanked the organisers for the invitation but could not participate because of other commitments.
Germany will be represented at the conference by Environment Minister Carsten Schneider. Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan is also expected to attend.
The decision drew criticism from German environmental organisation Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH). Its managing director, Sascha Müller-Kraenner, called on Germany to pursue a COP31 outcome containing firm and ambitious wording on moving beyond fossil fuels, alongside specific emissions-reduction objectives for individual sectors.
For organisations following the talks, the immediate next step is to monitor the positions advanced by Schneider and Alabali Radovan, as well as the eventual COP31 outcome text.
Why it matters
Merz’s absence means Germany will be represented by ministers rather than its head of government at the Antalya meeting. The report notes that German chancellors attended the COP leaders’ gathering in each of the preceding five years. Merz himself attended COP30 in Belém, Brazil.
DUH’s response highlights two issues it wants Germany to press during the negotiations: language on the transition away from fossil fuels and sector-by-sector emissions targets. The available information does not identify any new policy, corporate requirement or negotiated commitment arising from Merz’s decision.
A provisional United Nations list indicates that leaders from Austria, Bulgaria, Finland, Cyprus, Croatia, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Slovenia are expected to speak at the COP31 leaders’ summit. Germany’s participation will instead be led by its ministerial delegation.
What to watch
Attention will turn to the German delegation’s interventions once COP31 begins, particularly whether it supports the priorities identified by DUH in discussions on the conference outcome. The final text will determine whether references to fossil fuels or sectoral emissions objectives are included.
