Cop31 as it happened: ‘Everything and everyone we love is at stake,’ Greta Thunberg warns

Live updates

1. 1h ago

   Thunberg returns to COP31 after five years, calls talks 'hypocrisy'

   Greta Thunberg appeared at the UN climate summit in Belém on Saturday, her first COP attendance since 2021, declaring that "everything and everyone we love is at stake" and denouncing the negotiations as hypocrisy. The conference opened with a reported slight drop in global fossil fuel emissions. Thunberg's return follows years of pro-Palestinian activism that kept her away from the formal UN process.

   Why it matters

   Thunberg's presence signals a shift from street protest back into the conference halls, potentially refocusing media attention on the gap between pledges and delivery. Her criticism of "hypocrisy" echoes longstanding civil-society frustration that host nations expand fossil fuel production while negotiating emissions cuts. The reported emissions dip, if confirmed, would be the first year-on-year decline outside a pandemic recession.

   What is confirmed

   • Greta Thunberg attended COP31 in Belém on Saturday, 14 November 2026.
   • Thunberg stated "everything and everyone we love is at stake" upon arrival.
   • Thunberg described the UN climate talks as "hypocrisy."
   • This is Thunberg's first COP attendance since 2021.
   • The conference reported a slight drop in fossil fuel emissions as it entered its second day.

   Still unconfirmed

   • The reported emissions drop represents the first year-on-year decline outside a pandemic recession.

   What to watch next

   • Formal verification of the fossil fuel emissions data by the Global Carbon Project or UNFCCC.
   • Whether Thunberg participates in scheduled civil-society actions or meets with negotiators.
   • Reaction from the COP31 presidency and major party blocs to the "hypocrisy" charge.
   Sources used for this update (7)

   1. The Guardian — Cop31 live: slight drop in fossil fuel emissions revealed as conference enters second day
   2. AP News — Greta Thunberg arrives at UN climate talks saying ‘everything we love is at stake’
   3. Ynetnews — Greta Thunberg returns to UN climate summit after years of pro-Palestinian activism
   4. South China Morning Post — ‘Everything we love at stake’: Greta Thunberg arrives at UN climate talks
   5. Bloomberg.com — Greta Thunberg Returns to UN Climate Summit After 5 Years Away
   6. Al Jazeera — ‘Everything and everyone we love is at stake’: Thunberg slams COP31 talks
   7. NBC News — Greta Thunberg blasts UN climate talks as ‘hypocrisy’ at COP31
   confidence 88%