Turkey Selected to Host COP31 Following Agreement with Australia

Fri Nov 21 2025 09:14:30 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

After negotiations at COP30 in Brazil, Australia has agreed to withdraw its bid to host COP31, allowing Turkey to take the lead in organizing the climate talks set for 2026. This unprecedented arrangement has raised questions about the presidential role at the event.

The 2026 COP31 climate meeting will take place in Turkey, following a surprising compromise after Australia conceded its hosting bid. The decision was made at COP30 in Brazil, where both nations reached an agreement that Australia's minister will chair the talks. While Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the result, reactions from Pacific leaders were mixed, reflecting concerns amid Australia's climate politics. The arrangement diverges from tradition, where the host country typically leads the presidency at such events.

The COP31 climate meeting is now expected to be held in Turkey after Australia dropped its bid to host the annual event.

Under the UN rules, the right to host the COP in 2026 falls to a group of countries made up of Western Europe, Australia and others.

A consensus must be reached but neither country had been willing to concede. Australia has now agreed to support the Turkish bid in return for their minister chairing the talks following negotiations at COP30, currently being held in Brazil.

This unusual arrangement has taken observers by surprise. It is normal for a COP president to be from the host country and how this new partnership will work in practice remains to be seen.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called the compromise with Turkey an outstanding result in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), noting Pacific issues would be front and centre.

He added that he had spoken to Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape and Prime Minister Rabuka of Fiji.

However, Papua New Guinea's Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko told the AFP news agency we are all not happy. And disappointed it's ended up like this.

Solomon Islands leader Jeremiah Manele earlier told the ABC he would be disappointed if Australia didn't secure the event. Yet, relief remains among countries at COP30 that a compromise has been reached, as the lack of agreement on the venue was becoming an embarrassment for the UN.

Australia had pushed hard to have the climate summit in the city of Adelaide, emphasizing co-hosting with Pacific island states, which are seen as vulnerable to climate change.

Turkey wants to host COP31 in Antalya, feeling justified as they had previously allowed the UK to host the 2021 meeting in Glasgow.

If neither country had given in, Bonn would have become the venue, being the headquarters of the UN's climate body. Ultimately, discussions at COP30 led to a compromise: a pre-COP meeting in a Pacific island, with the main event in Turkey, and Australia’s climate minister Chris Bowen as COP president.

Obviously, it would be great if Australia could have it all, but we can't have it all, Mr Bowen stated.

He affirmed confidence in his ability to lead negotiations effectively, despite not being president from the host country. This compromise has drawn mixed reactions, particularly within the Pacific community, but it is expected to be ratified at COP30 by over 190 countries, with few objections anticipated.