COP31: The Antalya summit has opened amid doubts about its ambition, with climate finance and support for vulnerable nations high on the agenda. Bangladesh is calling for more grants, not loans, to fund adaptation and address climate losses. Energy Storage: India approved 14,500 crore rupees in support for 92 GWh of grid storage by 2031, including batteries and pumped hydro. Malaysia also proposed reusing retired EV batteries to supply power to rural communities and health facilities. Grid Bottleneck: More than 2,500 GW of renewable, storage and large-load projects are waiting for grid connections worldwide, while annual grid investment needs to rise about 50% by 2030, the IEA says. Solar Push: Bangladesh joined a global rooftop solar drive and aims to install 5.5 GW by 2030, with most planned investment dependent on international financing. Ocean Protection: A study found just 4% of regulations governing marine reserves explicitly address satellite monitoring, limiting its legal role in enforcement. Land Use: The UK rejected the proposed 840 MW Botley West solar farm, citing harm to greenbelt, heritage and landscape, as well as aviation safety concerns.