Overview
- The decision that China would not host COP33 was confirmed Friday during COP31 in Antalya, Turkey, leaving the Asia‑Pacific hosting slot unfilled for the 2028 summit.
- India had already withdrawn its offer in April 2026, so the two region’s largest emitters are now out of contention for hosting the November 6–17, 2028 conference.
- COP33 will include the Paris Agreement's second global stocktake, a formal review of countries' progress on emissions and climate goals that gives agenda control real weight.
- South Korea, Uzbekistan, Indonesia and Thailand have emerged as potential alternative hosts while Ethiopia remains scheduled to host COP32 in 2027.
- Experts warn the absence of a major emitter as host could reduce political weight for Pacific island nations seeking finance and faster cuts, and they say the U.S. election timetable may have shaped Beijing’s calculus.