One of the main topics of focus at the COP30 climate conference held in Belem, Brazil, is the decision regarding which country will host the next conference – COP31. Discussions indicate that the process is currently at a stalemate and the final choice has not yet been agreed upon.
Modern.az reports that Australia, long considered the main candidate to host COP31, aims to strengthen its climate action and diplomatic position in the region by organizing the summit jointly with Pacific island nations. The country is currently working to reduce its dependence on coal and gas and increase investment in renewable energy, green steel, and battery technologies.
Wesley Morgan, a climate expert at the University of New South Wales, told Reuters that hosting COP is of significant economic importance for Australia.
In recent weeks, Turkey has increased its activity in the process, emerging as an alternative candidate. Ankara states that the summit should increase focus on climate financing for developing countries and that it is ready to present its efforts to achieve the “net-zero emissions” target by 2053. According to Turkish officials, holding such an event in the Mediterranean basin could be efficient from both environmental and logistical perspectives.
Consequently, a diplomatic stalemate has arisen between the two countries at COP30.
Observers have also put forward proposals for a compromise option, suggesting that different stages of the summit be divided between the two countries. However, there is no official decision, and no agreement has been reached between the parties.
It should be noted that, according to UN rules, all countries in the host region must reach a unanimous decision. If no compromise is reached between Australia and Turkey, the event will automatically be held in Bonn, Germany, where the UN Climate Secretariat is located. Germany has issued a statement saying, “We can host if necessary, but we do not want to.”
Despite the Australia and Turkey pavilions being located side-by-side during COP30 in Belem, no rapprochement has yet been recorded in the negotiations. According to experts, the decision regarding the host of COP31 is not merely an organizational matter but also a strategic step that will influence the next phase of global climate diplomacy.
