Australia Rejects Turkey’s Proposal to Co-Host COP31

Darwin, 18 November –

Australia has formally rejected a proposal to co-host next year’s United Nations climate summit (COP31) with Turkey, further intensifying a diplomatic standoff over where the major global event will take place.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the idea of dual hosts was not compatible with the rules of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which does not allow two countries to jointly preside over a COP. His comments came amid ongoing discussions within the Western Europe and Others Group (WEOG), the regional bloc responsible for selecting the host nation.

Turkey has been pressing for a shared leadership arrangement, but weeks of negotiations have failed to produce an agreement. Without consensus, the 2026 climate conference could automatically shift to Bonn, Germany, the UNFCCC’s headquarters.

Diplomatic sources say Ankara had been seeking a compromise under which Australia would stage a high-level leaders’ meeting—focused on Pacific Island climate concerns—before Turkey hosts the main summit. Canberra, however, has declined the arrangement, insisting it does not fit within UN procedures.

Australian Climate and Energy Minister Chris Bowen arrived in Belem, Brazil, ahead of COP30 to lobby for Australia’s bid, stressing the urgency of climate threats to Pacific nations and reaffirming Australia’s readiness to host.

Recent correspondence between Albanese and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has hardened both governments’ positions, reducing hopes of a quick resolution. With the deadline approaching, uncertainty remains over whether the two sides can bridge their differences in time to prevent the summit from defaulting to Germany.