As their dispute on the issue remains unsolved, Turkish diplomatic sources told Reuters on Sunday that Ankara has proposed jointly leading next year's U.N. climate summit with Australia.
Both countries submitted bids in 2022 to host COP31 and neither has withdrawn, leading to an attention-sapping impasse that must be overcome at this year's COP30 meeting, currently taking place in Belem, Brazil.
The annual COP – or Conference of the Parties – is the world's main forum for driving climate action. The host matters because they set the agenda and lead the diplomacy needed to reach global agreements.
The Turkish sources said Türkiye and Australia explored a joint presidency model during talks on the margins of the U.N. General Assembly in September, including sharing hosting duties for high-level meetings and jointly steering negotiations.
Those conversations created "a basis of mutual understanding," they said, but the proposal has not advanced.
According to the sources, later exchanges showed differing views on how a co-presidency could function within U.N. procedures.
Australian Energy Minister Chris Bowen traveled to Brazil on Saturday for COP30, saying a decision would be taken there and that Australia had "overwhelming support” for its candidacy.
Canberra says it wants to co-host with Pacific island nations to highlight the climate threats they face. The Pacific Islands Forum is backing Australia’s bid.
Türkiye, for its part, says its candidacy emphasizes cooperation and inclusiveness and aims to put greater focus on financing for developing countries while showcasing its progress towards a 2053 net-zero emissions goal.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed this view in recent correspondence with the Australian prime minister, the Turkish sources said, adding that Türkiye still believed "flexible formulas” could be developed through continued consultations.
At the same time, the sources said Türkiye was prepared to host the summit alone and assume the presidency if no agreement was reached.
The annual talks rotate through five regional groups, with COP31's host needing to be unanimously agreed upon by the 28 members of the "Western Europe and Others Group" bloc, which includes Australia and Türkiye.
