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Türkiye is asserting its determination to host the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in 2026, even if it means organising the event independently, according to a Turkish diplomatic source.
Türkiye is currently locked in a stalemate with Australia over who should host the major summit.
A consensus must be reached at the current COP conference in Brazil, as UN rules prevent joint hosting. If neither country withdraws nor agrees to share the event, the conference would default to the UN’s climate secretariat in Bonn, Germany.
The Turkish source noted that initial talks with Australia about a co-presidency model were rejected by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese due to UN rules and concerns that Türkiye’s involvement might detract from the focus on Pacific issues.
Ankara supports flexible solutions to ensure the success of COP31 and remains open to a co-presidency model to strengthen multilateralism.
However, the source emphasised that Türkiye is ready to proceed with an independent bid if a consensus with Australia remains out of reach, a position President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has conveyed.
Türkiye intends for its COP31 focus to be on global solidarity and the world’s most vulnerable regions.
