Congressional Delegation to Join COP31 Climate Talks
A 19-member US delegation will travel to Antalya, Türkiye, for UN climate negotiations even as the United States is not taking part in them.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in International Relations
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A 19-member US congressional delegation, led by the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition Institute, will travel to Türkiye for the COP31 climate summit running November 9 to 20 in Antalya. The United States is not taking part in the COP31 negotiations after Trump withdrew from the Paris Agreement for a second time upon returning to office.
Why it matters
The trip is intended to play a diplomatic role and explore renewed US engagement on climate, energy, and economic policy despite the federal government's absence from the talks. Representative Sean Casten is cautiously optimistic that Republican margins could open some opportunities.
The 19-member delegation will be in Türkiye during the November 9-20 COP31 summit, but the United States is not participating in the negotiations. Whether the delegation will influence any US policy direction remains unknown.
The players
Sean Casten
Representative Sean Casten is a Democratic congressman from Illinois who announced the delegation and is cautiously optimistic about opportunities despite Republican margins.
Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition Institute
The Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition Institute is a nonpartisan think tank that leads the delegation to COP31.
The details
Representative Sean Casten, who represents Illinois, announced the congressional delegation to COP31 on November 5, 2026. The delegation will meet policymakers, civil society groups and business leaders while exploring opportunities for renewed US engagement on climate, energy, and economic policy.
Timeline
November 4, 2026: Democrats won a landslide midterm victory.
November 5, 2026: Casten announced the congressional delegation to COP31.
November 9-20, 2026: COP31 climate summit held in Antalya, Türkiye.
Political Context
The United States did not ratify the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, and Trump withdrew from the Paris Agreement for a second time on returning to office. The delegation's participation is framed as an effort to keep US climate diplomacy active outside the federal executive branch.
The trip itself does not change US climate policy or the cost of solar panels or electric vehicles, which Trump's tariffs have made more expensive. Readers will see its effects only if the delegation's engagement translates into concrete federal or state action.
The takeaway
The delegation signals that US climate engagement is continuing through congressional and subnational channels even without federal participation in COP31. Its practical significance will depend on whether those channels produce concrete policy outcomes.
What happens next
The COP31 summit runs from November 9 to 20, 2026, in Antalya, Türkiye, where the delegation is scheduled to participate.
Further reading
For broader context on US diplomatic positioning, see International Relations.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Euronews English.
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