Mainz – October 29, 2026 -- German public broadcasters ZDF, 3sat and phoenix will cover the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Turkey, from November 9 to 20, 2026, with daily news segments, documentaries and streaming premieres.
Turkey hosts the 31st UN climate conference, while Australia chairs the negotiations. The source notes that the Pacific region and its island states are especially threatened by climate change, and that implementation and financing of projects will be debated heavily this year.
Reporters on the ground in Antalya
ZDF environment reporters Winnie Heescher and Elisa Miebach are on site, as is "NANO" presenter Gregor Steinbrenner for 3sat. ZDFheute adds fact checks, explainer articles, an updated KlimaRadar and information on the new Climate Change Performance Index. Reels, galleries and graphics will run on ZDF's social channels.
The morning show "Volle Kanne – Service täglich" airs Monday to Friday from 9:05 to 10:30 a.m. and reports on the conference throughout, including live links to the Antalya team.
Two "planet e." documentaries frame the summit
"Drei Wege – wie Klimazukunft gemacht wird" (Three Paths: How the Climate Future Is Made) airs Sunday, November 8, at 3:30 p.m. on ZDF. It streams from Friday, November 6, at 8:30 a.m. The film compares Germany's struggle to transform its industry, India's push for growth amid rising energy demand, and Ethiopia's e-mobility transport strategy.
"Klima – die Welt verhandelt ihre Zukunft" (Climate: The World Negotiates Its Future) airs Sunday, November 15, at 3:30 p.m. on ZDF, with streaming from Friday, November 13, at 8:30 a.m. Author Andreas Weise follows delegates in Antalya and examines the negotiation process, noting that critics see too few results but no alternative exists.
A sailboat expedition to the Antarctic
"Mission Pinguin – Mit dem Segelboot in die Antarktis" follows professional sailor Boris Herrmann on an expedition with ZDF reporter Carsten Behrendt. It airs Sunday, November 8, at 4:15 p.m. and streams from Sunday, November 1, at 10:00 a.m. Scientists from the Federal Environment Agency, the Alfred Wegener Institute and the Thuringian Institute for Sustainability and Climate Protection plan to document the condition of the seven Danger Islands and their wildlife. Germany and the US initiated special protection for the islands.
On Wednesday, November 18, ZDF's "Long Night of the Climate Conference" runs from 12:30 to 4:15 a.m. and bundles the COP31 documentaries with repeats of "Terra X: Harald Lesch" and "plan b".
3sat's NANO runs weeknightly at 6:30 p.m.
From Monday, November 9, "NANO" covers the summit on weekdays at 6:30 p.m., with a special that day asking whether climate policy is finally getting serious. The three-part series "Water Warriors" is available in the 3sat Mediathek from Thursday, November 5. It follows scientists, farmers and start-ups around the Mediterranean working on water-crisis solutions.
On Thursday, November 12, from 8:15 p.m., a science evening pairs "Waldbrände: Leben mit dem Feuer" (Wildfires: Living With Fire) and "Klimakrise – Unser neues Normal?" (Climate Crisis: Our New Normal?). A wrap-up of the key outcomes follows on Monday, November 23, at 6:30 p.m. phoenix will show the main COP31 press conferences.