Turkey has been granted the right to host and lead the next UN climate talks, COP31. This is stated in an agreement between Turkey and Australia, published on the UN website, reports UNN with reference to POLITICO.
Details
According to the published document, Turkey will chair COP31 and will have a key influence on shaping the international course on climate finance and fossil fuels. The Australian representative will receive the role of "Negotiations President," which implies "exclusive negotiating powers," but their responsibilities remain partially undefined.
"Should differences of opinion arise between Turkey and Australia, consultations will be held until the differences are resolved to mutual satisfaction," the agreement states, which adopts the correct spelling of the country's name as accepted by the Turkish government.
This decision was the result of more than a year of disputes between Turkey and Australia over who should host the 2026 summit. Turkey applied on behalf of developing countries, while Australia positioned itself as a representative of the Pacific islands facing the threat of extinction.
Earlier, Australian Climate Minister Chris Bowen stated: "I would have all the powers of a COP president," but the text of the agreement does not confirm this. The document states that Turkey will appoint the Australian representative to their role.
E3G expert Alden Meyer emphasized: "This has never been done before. There has never been a co-presidency."
Turkey proposed holding the talks in Antalya, a Mediterranean city. Previous climate summits were held in Dubai in 2023, Baku in 2024, and Belém, Brazil, this month.
The published agreement confirms that Turkey will officially lead COP31, while Australia will play a supporting role. The format of cooperation between the two countries during the negotiations will be determined additionally, making the upcoming summit atypical for the UN process.
Recall
Turkey will host the next year's UN climate summit, and Australia will lead the intergovernmental negotiations. This compromise agreement will resolve the standoff between the countries over hosting COP31.