Australia Rejects Turkey’s Co‑Host Proposal for COP31

Overview

• Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said dual venues are not provided for under UNFCCC rules.
• Australia and Turkey remain rival bidders to host the 2026 conference, with neither having withdrawn since 2022.
• Host selection requires unanimous agreement by Parties, and without it the default site is Bonn, where the UN climate secretariat is based, although German officials have signaled reluctance to host.
• Ankara still backs a joint leadership model reported to split a leaders’ meeting in Australia and the main conference in Turkey.
• Canberra is proposing Adelaide to highlight Pacific island priorities with support from the Pacific Islands Forum, even as Australia remains a major coal exporter with substantial fossil‑fuel subsidies.