Australia's Climate Summit Bid Stalls as Turkey Withholds Agreement on Hosting Rights
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Australia’s campaign to host a major United Nations climate summit has reached an impasse requiring Turkish consent despite overwhelming international support, Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen said Thursday, as the $7 million bid faces uncertain prospects.
Bowen said global backing for Australia’s effort to host COP31 in Adelaide is “overwhelming” within the regional group that will ultimately decide hosting rights. But UN Conference of the Parties rules require agreement from the only other bidder, Turkey, creating a diplomatic deadlock the Albanese government is working to resolve.
“The fact that the world has expressed its view that they want Australia to host, in one sense, is only half the battle,” Bowen said at a press conference in Sydney. “Of course, then we’ve got to get Turkey to agree.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has corresponded with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about the hosting competition, while Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Bowen have engaged their Turkish counterparts. Bowen described the diplomatic outreach as “a good government doing its job trying to resolve this.”
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The minister rejected suggestions Erdogan is ignoring Albanese, saying governments are actively talking. He also dismissed speculation that Australia’s participation in Brazil’s Tropical Forests Forever facility would influence Turkey’s position on the hosting dispute.
“Decisions like President Lula’s initiative have absolutely no bearing, I would respectfully suggest to you, on what President Erdogan thinks, whether the COP should be held in Adelaide or Anatolia,” Bowen said, referencing Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s deforestation initiative.
Australia’s bid reflects the government’s assessment that hosting COP31 represents a “remarkable geopolitical opportunity” for the country. Bowen emphasized climate change’s centrality to Pacific Island nations, calling it “the number one, two, three, four and five issue for Pacific Islands.”
The conference would also serve as “the world’s largest trade fair” for a country seeking to position itself as “indispensable in the supply of critical minerals and renewable energy to the rest of the world,” Bowen said.
The government has spent $7 million on the bid, according to Bowen. He said enthusiasm remains high within the government despite the Turkish obstacle, which he characterized as a procedural requirement under COP rules rather than a reflection of insufficient international support.
This is Bowen’s fourth COP conference leading Australia’s delegation. He said the government will make announcements about participation in various climate initiatives, including the Brazilian tropical forest program, during the upcoming summit.
The minister acknowledged that many initiatives seek Australian support during COP conferences. While recognizing Brazil’s leadership on deforestation issues, particularly in South America and Asia, Bowen declined to commit Thursday to the Tropical Forests Forever facility.
“Deforestation obviously is a vital matter in South America and Brazil, but not just in Asia in particular, in countries important to us in our region,” Bowen said, noting relevance to Pacific nations including Papua New Guinea.
The hosting competition highlights Australia’s diplomatic priorities in climate policy and regional leadership. Winning hosting rights would elevate the country’s profile on climate action while providing a platform to advance its interests in renewable energy and critical minerals.
Turkey’s position as the sole competing bidder gives Ankara effective veto power over Australia’s aspirations despite broader international support. The unusual situation requires bilateral diplomatic resolution rather than a traditional competitive selection process among multiple bidders.
Bowen’s comments suggest the government views the deadlock as surmountable through ongoing diplomatic engagement rather than an insurmountable obstacle. The minister’s emphasis on continued enthusiasm signals the government’s commitment to pursuing hosting rights despite the uncertainty.
The timing of a potential resolution remains unclear. Both countries are positioning themselves as suitable hosts for a conference that draws tens of thousands of delegates, officials and observers to address global climate challenges and negotiate international agreements.
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