Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced that an agreement has been reached with Turkey for the country to host the 31st United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP31) in 2026. The summit will be held in Antalya, while Australia will serve as the negotiations chair before and during the conference, leading the negotiation process and decision-making direction.
The agreement resolves a long-standing deadlock over hosting rights. Previously, both Turkey and Australia had actively sought to host the summit, with firm positions on both sides resulting in an unusually intense competition for the annual climate conference. Under the agreement, Turkey retains the formal role of presidency, while Australia will act as the de facto negotiations lead, responsible for guiding decision-making and ensuring that Pacific island nations and small island developing states receive full representation.
To highlight the existential threat climate change poses to the Pacific region, a technical-level preparatory meeting will be held in a Pacific island nation about one month before the summit. All 18 member states of the Pacific Islands Forum have endorsed Australia’s lead role in the negotiations, as the region is among the most severely affected by rising sea levels. Albanese stated that Australia holds sole authority over negotiations and will actively advance Pacific interests at the summit to strengthen fairness in global climate action.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said at the G20 summit in South Africa that he was satisfied with the agreement, calling the compromise significant. He noted that it allows Turkey to formally host the summit while jointly advancing climate negotiations with Australia. The two-week summit will encompass political, diplomatic and economic functions, underscoring the importance of climate issues and the international influence of the host nation.
The annual COP summit is a key platform for global climate action and has evolved from a traditional diplomatic meeting into a large-scale international expo and policy negotiation forum. The arrangement, with Australia leading negotiations and Turkey hosting, not only reflects cooperation between the two countries on climate issues but also demonstrates the UN climate negotiation system’s flexibility in resolving competition over hosting rights, setting the tone for the global climate agenda in 2026.