Australia to Lead COP31 Negotiations While Turkey Hosts in Antalya
The new arrangement elevates Pacific priorities with a pre-COP pledging event and Australian agenda role despite Turkey holding the 2026 summit
Australia has secured the role of leading global climate negotiations at the upcoming COP31 summit while Antalya, Turkey, will host the event, officials have confirmed.
The compromise agreement follows Australia’s withdrawal from the contest to host the event itself, a move aimed at reinforcing Pacific-island representation and climate-vulnerable communities.
The deal—which sees Australia’s Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, appointed to preside over negotiations—also includes a “pre-COP” event in a Pacific island location intended to act as a pledging platform for the Pacific Islands Forum’s climate-resilience priorities.
The Australian government described this as a strategic initiative to place the interests of Pacific nations at the core of the agenda.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese characterised the outcome as a “big win” for Australia and the Pacific, highlighting that hosting was never the only measure of influence.
He said the country would focus on restructuring the summit’s diplomacy to ensure Pacific voices remain central, and that the negotiation presidency offers Australia both global leadership and a platform for regional advocacy.
Pacific-island nations reacted with mixed emotions.
While recognising Australia’s commitment they expressed lingering disappointment that the summit would not be hosted in the region—a milestone they believed would strengthen their global visibility.
The arrangement, however, secures an elevated role for Pacific resilience issues in the lead-up to the main event.
For Turkey, hosting COP31 in Antalya provides a diplomatic opportunity to frame itself as a Mediterranean-Middle Eastern bridge in climate dialogue, and to manage a large international conference with both symbolic and strategic significance.
Analysts note that combining Turkey’s hosting duties with Australia’s negotiating role may alleviate the long-standing deadlock between the two countries’ separate bids.
The agreement signals a shift in global climate diplomacy: hosting rights remain important, but control over the negotiating agenda is now equally prized.
As preparations ramp up, attention will fall on the pre-COP pledging event and how effectively Australia and its Pacific partners translate their shared priorities—climate finance, adaptation and resilience—into tangible commitments.
With the United Nations-appointed host and presidency roles now defined, Australia, Turkey and Pacific partners are poised to shape the 2026 summit’s substance.
The next step will be the formal announcement and detailed roadmap for the Australian-led negotiation process and Pacific engagement ahead of the Antalya conference.
The compromise agreement follows Australia’s withdrawal from the contest to host the event itself, a move aimed at reinforcing Pacific-island representation and climate-vulnerable communities.
The deal—which sees Australia’s Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, appointed to preside over negotiations—also includes a “pre-COP” event in a Pacific island location intended to act as a pledging platform for the Pacific Islands Forum’s climate-resilience priorities.
The Australian government described this as a strategic initiative to place the interests of Pacific nations at the core of the agenda.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese characterised the outcome as a “big win” for Australia and the Pacific, highlighting that hosting was never the only measure of influence.
He said the country would focus on restructuring the summit’s diplomacy to ensure Pacific voices remain central, and that the negotiation presidency offers Australia both global leadership and a platform for regional advocacy.
Pacific-island nations reacted with mixed emotions.
While recognising Australia’s commitment they expressed lingering disappointment that the summit would not be hosted in the region—a milestone they believed would strengthen their global visibility.
The arrangement, however, secures an elevated role for Pacific resilience issues in the lead-up to the main event.
For Turkey, hosting COP31 in Antalya provides a diplomatic opportunity to frame itself as a Mediterranean-Middle Eastern bridge in climate dialogue, and to manage a large international conference with both symbolic and strategic significance.
Analysts note that combining Turkey’s hosting duties with Australia’s negotiating role may alleviate the long-standing deadlock between the two countries’ separate bids.
The agreement signals a shift in global climate diplomacy: hosting rights remain important, but control over the negotiating agenda is now equally prized.
As preparations ramp up, attention will fall on the pre-COP pledging event and how effectively Australia and its Pacific partners translate their shared priorities—climate finance, adaptation and resilience—into tangible commitments.
With the United Nations-appointed host and presidency roles now defined, Australia, Turkey and Pacific partners are poised to shape the 2026 summit’s substance.
The next step will be the formal announcement and detailed roadmap for the Australian-led negotiation process and Pacific engagement ahead of the Antalya conference.
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