Australia Rejects Turkey’s Co-Hosting Proposal for COP31 Climate Summit

SYDNEY, Australia – Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Monday that Australia will not co-host COP31 with Turkey next year, amid an ongoing deadlock between the two nations. The announcement came during a media briefing in Melbourne.

Albanese stated, “No, we won’t be co-hosting because co-hosting isn’t provided for under the rules of the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change).” He emphasized that the option had been ruled out, and all parties were aware of the limitations set by the agreement.

The COP, or Conference of the Parties, serves as the primary platform for global climate action. The choice of host nation is significant as they set the conference agenda and lead discussions required to forge global agreements.

Both Australia and Turkey submitted bids in 2022 to host COP31, and tensions have continued as neither country has withdrawn its proposal. Sources from Turkey indicated that discussions remain unresolved as COP30 convenes in Belem, Brazil.

In recent correspondence between Albanese and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, differing positions on the hosting arrangement were highlighted, with Erdogan advocating for a joint leadership framework. However, U.N. rules stipulate that a unanimous decision must be reached among the 28-member “Western Europe and Others Group,” which complicates matters as hosting rights could default to Bonn, Germany.

A Turkish diplomatic source indicated that Ankara had shown willingness to support Australia hosting a preliminary meeting focused on Pacific island nations affected by climate change, with Turkey hosting the main event later. However, no agreement has been reached on this proposal.

Australia’s climate change minister Chris Bowen affirmed Australia’s commitment to highlighting its clean energy initiatives at COP30. Bowen stated, “Our nation has a lot at stake when it comes to climate change. Every effort we make now will help avert the worst impacts.”

Australia aims to garner support from the Pacific Islands Forum, which backs its bid. Meanwhile, both nations face increasing pressure to reach a compromise to avoid losing the opportunity to host altogether.