Australia Declines Turkiye’s Proposal to Co-Host UN Climate Summit

Australia on Monday rejected Turkiye’s proposal to co-host next year’s UN climate summit, deepening a standoff that is overshadowing ongoing negotiations at COP30 in Brazil.

Both countries are vying to host COP31, and pressure is mounting on Canberra and Ankara to resolve the impasse before it becomes a diplomatic embarrassment for the talks in Belem, where Brazil is trying to prove that global climate cooperation remains intact.

The host nation for COP31 must be chosen by consensus. Unless one side withdraws or both agree to share the presidency, the stalemate would force an unprecedented fallback in which Germany assumes hosting duties by default.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday firmly dismissed the idea of a joint presidency with Turkiye, saying: “That’s not an option, and people are aware that it is not an option, which is why it has been ruled out.”

A Turkish diplomatic source told AFP over the weekend that Ankara still supports a co-presidency model but is prepared to pursue its bid alone if no agreement can be reached.

Australia is proposing Adelaide as the host city, pitching the bid as an opportunity to elevate Pacific Island nations—among the world’s most climate-vulnerable—whose leaders have long accused COP summits of sidelining their concerns. Australia itself faces significant climate risks, but its green credentials remain under scrutiny as the world’s second-largest coal exporter, with years of domestic political infighting—often called the “climate wars”—slowing national emissions reforms.

Winning the bid would mark the first time a COP summit is held in the Pacific region.

Turkiye says its proposal would prioritize the world’s most vulnerable regions as well, including through potential special sessions on Pacific issues.

Brazil has assigned a mediator to break the deadlock, but diplomats say there has been no meaningful progress and remain doubtful that a resolution will be reached before COP30 concludes on November 21.