Australia is preparing to concede defeat in its bid to host next year’s major United Nations climate summit, COP31, despite months of lobbying, millions of dollars in preparatory work, and strong public advocacy from senior members of the Albanese Government.
The high-profile summit — which attracts around 50,000 delegates — had been earmarked for Adelaide, forming the centrepiece of a joint bid involving Pacific nations severely affected by climate change. Hosting COP31 was expected to deliver substantial economic and diplomatic benefits, as well as symbolically reinforce Australia’s climate commitments.
But after months of intense negotiations, Australia has reportedly been outmanoeuvred by Turkey, which persisted in its own campaign for hosting rights. According to reports, Australian officials have now acknowledged that Adelaide will not host COP31, effectively leaving Turkey as the winner.
The setback comes despite Australia investing millions of dollars into the campaign, including extensive planning, international travel, and diplomatic outreach. Climate Minister Chris Bowen, currently in Belem, Brazil for COP30, had been lobbying on Australia’s behalf right up until this week.
As recently as Monday, Bowen insisted that the government was still “fighting hard” for the event, saying:
“We don’t know how it’ll go. But we’re in it to win it.”
In September, Bowen and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese travelled to New York for United Nations meetings and even met with Turkey’s First Lady, Emine Erdoğan, as part of efforts to persuade Ankara to support Australia’s bid.
Despite this, AFP reports that Australia rejected a joint-hosting proposal from Turkey, a move that may have helped cement Ankara’s advantage.
COP host cities are selected by consensus. If neither Australia nor Turkey had stepped aside, the summit would have defaulted to Bonn, Germany — an outcome Germany itself was reportedly reluctant to accept, given the enormous logistical and financial burden.
Pacific involvement still on the table
Although Australia is expected to formally step back from its bid, Canberra is still negotiating with Turkey to ensure the Pacific nations maintain a role in next year’s proceedings.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said on Wednesday that Australia was prioritising the broader global interest:
“We are trying to get the best outcome here for the planet and for the global economy and, regardless of where it is held, we will continue to play a leadership role.”
A political and strategic blow
The failure to secure COP31 represents a significant disappointment for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who had hoped the Adelaide summit would showcase Australia’s climate leadership and repair the country’s international reputation after earlier years of inaction.
The event would have cost around $1 billion to stage, but South Australia was expected to recoup around half of that through economic activity, according to 9News.
Adding to the complexity of the diplomatic landscape, the United States — under President Donald Trump — has boycotted COP30, diminishing the summit’s global influence and increasing pressure on other nations to demonstrate climate leadership.
COP30 is currently underway in Belem, Brazil, where Indigenous protesters have stormed parts of the venue and security has been significantly tightened.
With hosting rights rotating among five regional groups, Australia will now have to wait five years before it has another chance to bid.
