The Final Decision on Hosting COP31: Turkey to Host, Australia to Lead Negotiations

The resort city of Antalya on the Turkish Mediterranean coast will effectively become the venue for COP31 in November 2026. However, the negotiations will be led by the Australians. An unusual compromise, reached on Wednesday evening at COP30 in Belém, defused tensions between the two countries, which had been vying for the right to host the summit for three years. The odds were in Australia's favor, but the international community yielded to Ankara's pressure, fearing Turkish obstruction.

Two days before the close of the UN Climate Summit in Belém (Brazil), taking place from November 10 to 21, a consensus was finally reached on the highly contentious issue: "Who will host the next UN Climate Conference – COP31?". The fierce struggle between Canberra and Antalya, ongoing since 2022, ended Wednesday evening when the ministers overseeing climate policy—Australian Minister for Climate and Energy Chris Bowen and Turkish Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum—reached a principled agreement.

Thus, COP31 will take place in Turkey; however, it is Australia that will preside and lead the negotiations.