94 Private Jet Flights, 777 Tons of CO2. The Irony at Turkey’s UN Climate Summit

At least 94 private jet flights have landed in the Turkish resort city of Antalya during the United Nations climate summit, even as world leaders and negotiators gather to discuss cutting greenhouse gas emissions and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

An earlier count of 87 flights recorded since Nov. 7 produced an estimated 777 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, according to an analysis released Wednesday by Oxfam. The number of arrivals had climbed to 94 by Friday, Nov. 13, The Guardian reported, citing the charity's updated figures.

The aircraft arrived at Antalya Airport around the COP31 summit, which began Monday and is scheduled to continue through Nov. 20. Oxfam cautioned that not every passenger aboard those flights was necessarily attending the conference.

The charity's findings were based on data from PolluterJet, an aircraft-tracking project that monitors private jet arrivals at Antalya Airport and estimates emissions using aircraft models, flight distances and fuel consumption.

Oxfam said the initial 87 arrivals were nearly 22 times the number recorded at Antalya during the comparable period last year. The organization also estimated that their combined emissions were equivalent to those produced by flying around the world more than three times.

One aircraft associated with Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote traveled approximately 4,370 kilometers from Lagos to Antalya, generating an estimated 30 metric tons of CO2, according to Oxfam. The organization said that was roughly equivalent to the emissions produced by an average person over six years.

The private jet figures are not the only numbers drawing attention at this year's summit.

A separate analysis released Friday by the Kick Big Polluters Out coalition identified 103 companies and industry groups with representatives at COP31 that it said had supported fossil fuel interests or opposed stronger climate policies.

The organizations included 60 fossil fuel industry bodies, 16 financial companies involved in fossil fuel financing and groups representing agriculture, technology and other sectors.

The coalition identified delegations from ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies and BlackRock, among others. ExxonMobil had 13 representatives at the summit, while TotalEnergies and BlackRock had five each, according to figures reported by The Guardian.

The report also identified 30 banks attending COP31 that had collectively provided more than $2.2 trillion in fossil fuel financing over the previous five years.

They included JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Bank of America, Barclays and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group.

The financing figure covers the banks' activities over five years, not money committed or distributed during the summit.

The coalition's findings have renewed questions about the involvement of fossil fuel companies and financial institutions in negotiations intended to accelerate the transition away from coal, oil and natural gas.

According to The Guardian, more than 92,000 delegates have registered for COP31, making it potentially the largest gathering in the history of the annual UN climate conferences.

The coalition said the combined representation of the 103 companies and groups was six times the size of Nepal's national delegation. Nepal suffered devastating flooding this year, with thousands of deaths recorded in August.

U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, who is attending the conference, called for stronger disclosure requirements for participants, including information about organizations and activities they financially support.

TotalEnergies defended its participation, saying the company was investing in the energy transition and working to meet emissions reduction targets. It said the conference provided an opportunity to contribute to those discussions.

National governments determine who joins their official delegations under UN climate conference rules.

The private aviation figures have also prompted calls for new taxes on high-emission luxury travel.

In its analysis published Wednesday, Oxfam said private jets worldwide traveled approximately four billion kilometers in 2025, equivalent to circling the Earth about 105,000 times.

The United States accounted for 68% of private jet departures worldwide, according to the charity's analysis. Oxfam also estimated that an average private jet flight produced as much carbon pollution as an average person generates in an entire year.

The organization cited research from the Global Solidarity Levies Task Force estimating that taxes on private jets could generate around $45 billion annually.

"While families mourn loved ones killed by floods and endure blistering heat, the ultra-wealthy carry on flying in private jets, high above the devastating consequences," Oxfam International Executive Director Amitabh Behar said.

The charity's research also found that floods killed at least 8,123 people worldwide between January and September 2026, the highest total for that period since 2013.

Another 106 countries recorded at least one record-breaking monthly average temperature during the first nine months of the year, according to Oxfam's analysis of Copernicus climate data.

The findings were released during the first week of negotiations in Antalya, where governments are discussing climate financing, emissions reductions and plans to move away from fossil fuels. The summit is scheduled to conclude Nov. 20.