Negotiators and leaders have gathered in Antalya, Turkey, for annual United Nations climate talks, according to a New York Times guide to the COP31 talks. The newspaper said the gathering comes as global temperatures are set to breach a key threshold. Its guide was written by Chico Harlan.

The Guardian reported that the summit kicks off after a row over its hosting. In a separate account, the newspaper said its report examines the relationships and dominant interests in play among the key players as the talks begin.

According to The Guardian, hosting the talks was a key pledge made by Australia's prime minister, Anthony Albanese, in 2021, while he was in opposition and before his successful election campaign. The newspaper said arcane rules meant the country had to wait its turn to bid for the talks.

The Guardian said that after the country's turn came, it was embroiled in a row with Turkey. The sources available for this report do not specify the subject of that dispute.

The Guardian guide to the key players at the climate talks was written by Fiona Harvey, the newspaper's environment editor.

Taken together, the two reports describe talks that open as global temperatures are set to breach a key threshold and after a row over hosting, according to The New York Times and The Guardian.

Sources: The New York Times: A Guide to COP31 Climate Talks in Antalya, Turkey; The Guardian: Who’s who at Cop31: key players at the climate talks.