COP31 Venue Announced: Turkey to Host, Australia's Minister to Chair
Turkey is set to host the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) climate meeting in 2026. This decision follows Australia's withdrawal of its bid to host the annual international event.
Agreement Reached at COP30
Under United Nations rules, the right to host the 2026 COP is allocated to a group of countries, including those from Western Europe and Australia, requiring a consensus among them. Both Australia and Turkey had initially put forward bids to host the conference.
An agreement was finalized during negotiations at COP30, currently being held in Belém, Brazil. Australia has agreed to support Turkey's bid to host the event. In exchange for this support, Australia's climate minister, Chris Bowen, will serve as the COP31 president.
As part of the compromise, a pre-COP meeting is scheduled to be held on a Pacific island, with the main conference activities taking place in Turkey.
Background on Hosting Bids
Australia had advocated for hosting COP31 in the city of Adelaide, proposing a co-hosting arrangement with Pacific island states. This proposal highlighted the significant vulnerability of these islands to the impacts of climate change and rising sea levels.
Turkey's claim to host the event was based on its previous deferral in 2021, when it allowed the United Kingdom to host COP26 in Glasgow. Had no consensus been reached between Australia and Turkey, the conference would have defaulted to Bonn, Germany, which serves as the headquarters for the UN's climate body.