Turkey is set to host the United Nations’ flagship climate change conference next year, following months of competition with Australia for the event, in a last-minute concession to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who refused to back down despite widespread support for the Albanese government bid from other nations.
The COP31 talks next November will be staged in the resort city of Antalya, according to people briefed on the discussions at this year’s two-week summit in Belém, Brazil.
Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen speaks at COP30 in Belem, Brazil.Credit: AP
Australia spent $7 million on its bid to host the event, said Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen, who is in Belem now at the current conference.
The Albanese government declared ahead of the May election that if its bid for COP3 were successful, it would host the event in Adelaide and share many of the associated events with Pacific nations. Bowen is reported to be seeking a deal with Turkey where some of the COP associated could be hosted in the Pacific, and for a mechanism for international climate finance into the region, where the island nations insist global warming is the top security threat.
A group of countries was on track to formally accept the plan for Turkey to host the conference following a meeting on Thursday morning, AEST, at the COP30 climate summit in Belem.
The world leaders summit that typically happens at the start of each COP will also take place in Turkey, according to one of the people. There will be a pre-COP event in the Pacific region, the person said.
The news has not yet been confirmed by the Albanese government or the Erdogan camp, who have both been contacted for comment.
Bowen said on Saturday at Sydney airport that many of Australia’s allies and all members of its UN group – known as Western European and Others Group – backed the bid.
“The situation remains that Australia has the overwhelming support of the world to host COP31,” Bowen said.
