Türkiye is poised to host the United Nations’ flagship climate conference in 2026, edging out Australia for COP31, Bloomberg News reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.
The COP31 talks next November will be taking place in the resort city Antalya, the report added.
Türkiye will also hold the presidency of the summit and Australia will lead the negotiations according to an agreement forged late Wednesday, according to the report.
The Australian government and the U.N. climate change press office did not immediately respond to a Reuters' request for a comment. Reuters could not immediately verify the report.
Australia is ready to cede the rights to host the climate talks, three sources familiar with the matter told Agence France-Presse (AFP) Wednesday separately.
Under the highly unusual arrangement, COP31 would take place in Türkiye but who would preside over the meeting, Australia or Türkiye, was still being negotiated, the sources said.
Any decision has to be adopted by consensus by the nearly 200 countries meeting at COP30 in Belem, Brazil, this week.
Australia will not oppose a successful Turkish bid to host next year's COP31 climate summit, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said earlier this week, warning a prolonged standoff over hosting rights could undermine unity required to help the Pacific island nations.
