Erdoğan Hails ‘Meaningful’ Agreement With Australia to Co-Host COP31

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday hailed a breakthrough agreement with Australia on hosting responsibilities for the 2026 UN Climate Change Conference, describing the deal as a significant boost for global cooperation after years of stalemate.

After prolonged deadlock—during which both countries refused to withdraw competing bids submitted in 2022—Türkiye and Australia reached a compromise under which Türkiye will host COP31 in 2026, while Australia will take the lead role in steering negotiations at the summit.

“Given that multilateralism has recently been losing ground, I consider the agreement we reached with Australia to be meaningful,” Erdoğan said at a G20 event in Johannesburg.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that Australia will hold “exclusive authority” over the negotiation process, emphasizing that the arrangement allows both countries to contribute based on their respective strengths. He also announced that a special pre-COP meeting will be held in the Pacific region to highlight the existential climate threats facing island nations.

Australia’s bid enjoyed strong backing from 18 Pacific Island countries, many of which are on the front lines of rising sea levels and intensifying climate impacts.

Türkiye’s environment and climate minister Murat Kurum celebrated the outcome on X, calling it the result of “hundreds of bilateral meetings” and extensive diplomatic engagement. Speaking later at the COP30 conference in Brazil, he said Türkiye is committed to hosting “a fair and balanced” summit that will prioritize vulnerable regions, including the Pacific and Africa.

COP31 will continue the annual UN climate negotiation process, serving as the primary global platform for advancing international climate action.