Ask Onix
Turkey secures 2026 climate summit after Australia backs down
The COP31 UN climate conference will take place in Turkey after Australia abandoned its bid, ending a prolonged standoff between the two nations. Under UN rotation rules, the 2026 summit was to be hosted by the Western European and Others Group (WEOG), which includes both countries, but neither had been willing to concede-until a last-minute deal emerged during COP30 negotiations in Belém, Brazil.
Unprecedented hosting arrangement
In an unusual agreement, Turkey will host the main conference in Antalya, while Australia's Climate Minister Chris Bowen will serve as COP31 president-a role traditionally held by the host nation. A pre-COP meeting will also be held on a Pacific island, addressing concerns from vulnerable regional states.
Observers noted the compromise was unexpected, as COP presidencies are customarily tied to the host country. Bowen dismissed concerns about divided leadership, telling reporters in Belém that he would retain "all the powers of the COP presidency," including authority over negotiations, text drafting, and procedural decisions. Turkey will separately appoint a president to manage logistics, venues, and scheduling.
Pacific disappointment and Australian spin
While Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hailed the outcome as an "outstanding result" in an ABC interview-emphasizing that Pacific climate priorities would remain "front and centre"-regional leaders expressed frustration. Papua New Guinea's Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko told AFP the decision left Pacific nations "not happy" and "disappointed," while Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele had earlier urged Australia's selection.
Australia had campaigned aggressively to host COP31 in Adelaide, positioning itself as a bridge between developed economies and Pacific island states, which face existential threats from rising sea levels. Turkey, meanwhile, argued it had deferred to the UK in 2021, when Glasgow hosted COP26, strengthening its claim to the 2026 event.
Bonn avoided as consensus prevails
Without a compromise, the summit would have defaulted to Bonn, Germany, home of the UN climate secretariat-a scenario Bowen warned would have created "12 months with a lack of leadership." The deal, brokered during COP30, now requires ratification by the 190-plus countries present in Belém, though objections are considered unlikely after the protracted dispute.
"Obviously, it would be great if Australia could have it all, but we can't have it all. This process works on consensus, and consensus means if someone objected to our bid, it would go to Bonn."
Chris Bowen, Australia's Climate Minister
What's next
The compromise preserves multilateral momentum but raises questions about operational coordination between a Turkish host and an Australian president. Bowen insisted the arrangement would function smoothly, citing his full negotiating authority. Meanwhile, Pacific leaders may press for greater visibility in pre-COP discussions, though their influence over the Antalya summit's outcomes remains unclear.
