australia and Türkiye Clash Over COP31 Hosting Rights as Deadline looms
Australia’s bid to host the next major COP climate meeting is facing a critical juncture as diplomatic tensions with Türkiye escalate. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has firmly rejected a proposal for a “co-presidency” of the summit, a move that has frustrated government officials and raised concerns about the future of the negotiations.
Australia is currently vying to host COP31 in Adelaide, but Türkiye has been pushing for a shared hosting arrangement, a concept deemed unworkable under United Nations rules.
Albanese stated last week that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated his country’s position in a recent letter. According to reports from Reuters, Erdogan championed the idea of a COP “co-presidency,” envisioning shared duties for high-level meetings and joint negotiation steering. However, Albanese swiftly dismissed the proposal on Monday, emphasizing that it violates the regulations of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
“No, we won’t be co-hosting as co-hosting isn’t provided for under the rules of the UNFCCC. So that’s not an option,” Albanese said. “And people are aware it’s not an option. Which is why it has been ruled out.”
The impasse comes as Australia faces a rapidly approaching deadline to secure hosting rights. A senior international fellow with the Smart Energy Council in Australia, currently attending COP30 in Belém, described Türkiye’s persistence as “continuing to ask for the impossible.”
“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 the opposite sides of the world with vastly different priorities and experiences of the climate crisis could govern something as complex as a COP under a unified umbrella,” the fellow explained. He suggested a more productive approach would be to explore ways to accommodate Türkiye’s desire for leadership through a supporting role.
Australia has offered Türkiye the opportunity to play a notable supporting role, potentially by hosting ancillary meetings before or after the main event. Though, this has not appeased Turkish officials.
Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen arrived in Belém over the weekend to attempt to break the deadlock before COP30 concludes later this week. Foreign Minister penny Wong expressed optimism on Sunday, anticipating a resolution “by the end of the week.”
if no agreement is reached, the hosting responsibilities will revert to the UNFCCC headquarters in Bonn, Germany. However, Germany has indicated it is unwilling to assume the role.
Pacific leaders, attending COP30 in Belém, are also emphasizing the importance of ensuring their region’s perspective is central to the discussions, irrespective of the final hosting arrangement. “Leaders [want to] make sure that the Pacific is at the heart of both of these options,and they want to make sure that the issues from the Pacific [and] the people from the Pacific are also heard,” a research fellow at the ANU’s Department of Pacific Affairs stated.
Delegations in Belém largely attribute the current stalemate to Türkiye’s unwavering stance. According to reports from the ground, many believe the delay is impacting the broader climate negotiations. “Nobody here in Belem is under any false pretences as to what is holding up a deal, and that this delay is having an impact on what is the most consequential gathering for many countries in the world – far beyond just the Pacific,” one observer noted.
Despite the challenges, there is a strong sense that Australia remains committed to securing the hosting rights, bolstered by considerable international support. “Just as nobody is under any false pretences that Australia will surely be prepared to take this to the end given the overwhelming support they continue to enjoy, and which shows no sign of changing.”
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