Australia faces a moment of truth on climate action as it takes up the gavel as President of Negotiations at COP31, a coalition of 37 civil society organisations across Australia and the Pacific has said, calling on the government to make big polluters pay for the damage they cause.

The Make Big Polluters Pay Alliance issued the call on Monday, 9 November, as the COP31 climate talks opened in Antalya, Türkiye. The conference runs until 20 November, with Türkiye hosting and Australia presiding over the negotiations.

Julie-Anne Richards, the alliance's campaign strategic lead, speaking from Antalya, said: "COP31 is Australia's moment of truth and a once-in-a-generation opportunity to demonstrate genuine leadership on climate action, accountability and global solidarity."

What the alliance is asking for

The alliance is calling on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen to come to COP31 with a strong climate finance pledge and a commitment to a Climate Pollution Levy on coal, oil and gas corporations, to help fund climate adaptation and disaster recovery at home and internationally.

It argues that frontline communities are bearing the escalating costs of a climate crisis they did little to cause, and that the corporations profiting from fossil fuels should contribute to the cost of the damage.

The United Nations Environment Programme has warned that adaptation finance continues to fall far short of what developing countries need, estimated at around US$305 billion a year. The alliance pointed to the Loss and Damage Fund's recent decision to provide Nepal with US$20 million to respond to catastrophic floods, describing it as a historic milestone but only a drop in the ocean of need.

Pacific communities on the frontline

Australia's bid to co-host COP31 was built on elevating the voices of climate-vulnerable Pacific nations, and Pacific advocates are among those pressing Canberra to lead from the front in Antalya.

Pacific countries have faced annual costs from climate disasters of about AUD$1.3 billion, or 14.3 per cent of their gross domestic product, each year on average for the past decade, according to the alliance. From Nepal and Tibet to Tuvalu, it said, communities facing worsening climate disasters need the negotiations to deliver real funding, not just new targets.

Harjeet Singh, global convenor of the Fill the Fund campaign, and Josie Lee, policy and advocacy lead at Oxfam Australia, were among the spokespeople in Antalya backing the call for wealthy countries to fill what they describe as woefully inadequate climate funds.

Amnesty adds its voice

Amnesty International Australia separately warned that Australia cannot credibly claim climate leadership at COP31 while continuing to approve new coal and gas projects. The organisation said the government cannot have it both ways, and that continued support for fossil fuel expansion undermines Australia's credibility on the world stage.

"Australia cannot claim to be a global climate leader at COP31 starting this week, while continuing to give the green light to new coal and gas projects," said Kyinzom Dhongdue, strategy and advocacy manager at Amnesty International Australia.

Amnesty said that as President of Negotiations, Australia has an opportunity and a responsibility to turn its claims of climate leadership into meaningful action, including ending coal and gas expansion and securing a just, fully funded transition away from fossil fuels.

High stakes in Antalya

COP31 comes after a year of devastating fires, floods and heatwaves that have cost the global economy hundreds of billions of dollars and claimed thousands of lives, and ahead of a predicted monster El Nino summer, the alliance said.

With Australia holding the presidency of the negotiations, campaigners say the world will be watching whether Canberra uses its position to push for stronger climate finance and polluter accountability, or whether it continues to approve new fossil fuel projects at home while asking others to act.