Climate leaders toast hope at COP31 dinner in Antalya

Five climate leaders gather in Antalya

At a TIME100 Impact Dinner on November 10 during COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, five climate leaders spoke about challenges and gains in the clean energy transition and bringing youth into the climate fight.

The five honorees and their roles

The speakers were Michael Sheldrick of Global Citizen, Ani Dasgupta of the World Resources Institute, Telemundo journalist Vanessa Hauc, Matthew Tilleard of CrossBoundary Energy, and Xiye Bastida of the Re-Earth Initiative.

Sheldrick: leaving no one behind

Michael Sheldrick shared stories of young solar technicians in Touws River, South Africa, and Bennie, a coal plant supervisor facing job loss.

“You know, it is sad when eventually we flip the switch and then we turn off this power plant because of the generations of workers it helped support. But most of us understand why that's important.”

Global Citizen launches Perth Declaration

At the end of October, Global Citizen launched the Perth Declaration, which aims to expand electricity access to over four million homes and deliver three gigawatts of renewable energy capacity globally.

Dasgupta: solutions exist worldwide

Ani Dasgupta of the World Resources Institute highlighted climate solutions already happening globally, from solar democratization in Pakistan to ten thousand Kenyan farms growing macadamia trees on degraded land.

“Solutions like this are happening everywhere in the world, across the world. It is the seed for the new economy.”

Dasgupta calls for youth involvement

Dasgupta urged the room to bring young people into climate solutions, saying they are eager to get involved. He called for amplifying, funding and mentoring young climate leaders to build a new economy.

“Find these young leaders. Support them. Mentor them. Because together…we're going to build a new economy.”

Hauc: reporting climate destruction and hope

Telemundo journalist Vanessa Hauc described reporting from the Amazon rainforest, the Andes and Florida coral reefs, witnessing climate devastation. Yet her reporting also revealed resilience and innovation from scientists, Indigenous communities and young people.

“Hope is something that we build. It's a choice that we make every single day, because giving up is not…a choice for us.”

Tilleard: three secrets of energy transition

Matthew Tilleard outlined how this energy transition differs from past ones. Solar and batteries get cheaper as production scales. The panel made today is ninety-eight percent cheaper than one made twenty-five years ago.

“The panel made today is 98% cheaper than the panel just 25 years ago.”

Tilleard: decentralization and energy security

Tilleard noted that solar and storage systems will be radically decentralized, making clean energy more accessible. Technology-based energy systems make energy sovereign, unlike fuel-based systems, potentially strengthening energy security worldwide.

“Technology-based energy systems, unlike fuel, make energy sovereign.”

Bastida: intergenerational climate leadership

Xiye Bastida of the Re-Earth Initiative closed the dinner by emphasizing why COP conferences matter.She described meeting U.N.Secretary General António Guterres, who said youth climate leaders inspired him to speak boldly on climate action.

“The reason why my words have been so sharp and my vision has been so grounded is because I listened to you.”

Bastida: transformation is already happening

Bastida said climate solutions are grounded in Indigenous practices of stewardship and service to land, people and future generations. She closed by saying the transformation is not coming; it is already happening.

“I hope that… we [can] truly look back at this time and see that we are already living the transformation. It's not coming; it's already happening.”