BELEM, Brazil – Turkey will host next year’s UN climate summit, COP31. At the same time, Australia will lead the conference’s government negotiations, under a compromise deal taking shape in Brazil, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday.
The annual COP conferences are the world’s main forum for advancing climate action. The agreement resolves a standoff between Turkey and Australia, both of which bid in 2022 to host COP31 and initially refused to withdraw.
Under the emerging arrangement, Turkey will act as summit president and stage the main event. At the same time, a pre-COP meeting will be held in the Pacific, and Australia will preside over negotiations, Albanese said.
“What we’ve come up with is a big win for both Australia and Turkey,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corp Radio.
Both countries now have just a year to prepare for the summit, which attracts tens of thousands of participants and requires extensive diplomatic work to reach agreements on climate goals.
“There’s a little way to go in these discussions,” Australia’s Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen said at COP30 in Belem, adding that the compromise would meet Australia’s objectives. “It would be great if Australia could have it all. But we can’t have it all. It was important to strike an agreement.”
The Turkish government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Australia has promoted its bid as a “Pacific COP,” highlighting partnerships with low-lying island nations and their vulnerability to climate change and rising sea levels. The country has already invested A$7 million ($4.5 million) in preparations, reflecting confidence in broad international support.
Turkey, an emerging economy, has emphasized a global focus for its summit, aiming to strengthen solidarity between rich and poor nations.
Earlier this week, Albanese rejected co-hosting the summit, citing United Nations rules. Turkey had proposed a joint model, and both sides discussed potential frameworks in September. A source familiar with the negotiations noted some uncertainty over whether responsibilities could be shared under UN rules, which typically assign one country to lead.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
