Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has drawn a firm line in ongoing negotiations with Turkey over the hosting of next year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), ruling out any possibility of co-hosting the event.
Speaking from Melbourne on Monday, Albanese stated unequivocally that Australia would only consider hosting the summit on its own, signalling a hard stance against Turkey’s insistence on holding the conference.
Negotiations on whether Turkey or Australia would host the 2026 COP have been ongoing during this year’s climate talks in Belém, Brazil, where Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen has been actively representing Australia. The discussions have extended into the second week of the international meeting, highlighting the diplomatic deadlock over the venue.
Albanese explained that co-hosting is not permitted under UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) rules. “We won’t be co-hosting, because co-hosting isn’t provided for under the rules of the UNFCCC. So that’s not an option,” the Prime Minister stated. His comments followed reports that Turkey had expressed a willingness to share hosting responsibilities with Australia, according to Turkish diplomatic sources quoted by Reuters.
Australia’s COP bid enjoys overwhelming international support. Bowen confirmed that all members of the Western European and Others Group, which Australia is part of at the UN, back the nation’s bid. “The situation remains that Australia has the overwhelming support of the world to host COP31,” Bowen said, noting that discussions with Turkey remain “difficult” but necessary to secure an agreement.
While Albanese and Bowen have indicated that Australia will not compromise on the hosting arrangements, some flexibility has been offered. Bowen reportedly proposed allowing Turkey some involvement, such as leading pre-COP talks or hosting the meeting of world leaders that usually takes place in the first week of the conference. However, the COP president, who is appointed by the host nation, cannot be shared between countries under UN rules, adding further complexity to negotiations.
International observers in Belém, including Thom Woodroofe, a former climate diplomat and senior fellow with the Smart Energy Council, emphasise that co-presidency is not feasible. “There is simply no way under the UNFCCC rules for there to be a ‘co-presidency’, nor is it even conceptually workable that two countries on opposite sides of the world with vastly different priorities could govern a COP under a unified umbrella,” Woodroofe said.
German environmental NGO Germanwatch has also been involved, attempting to mediate the dispute. Petter Lydén, head of international affairs, stated that Germany prefers Australia as host, citing both climate credibility and democratic governance as reasons. “I think we have a better chance of getting the climate action we need with Australia,” Lydén said.
Australia’s determination to secure COP31 is seen as a signal to the international community of its leadership on climate policy and multilateral diplomacy. Albanese’s ultimatum underscores the political and procedural obstacles involved in hosting a global climate summit and highlights the strategic approach Australia is taking to secure one of the world’s most consequential environmental gatherings.
