Five-year wait for Australia if Turkey blows-up Anthony Albanese’s COP31 bid
Australia would need to wait at least five years before bidding for another UN climate change summit if Turkey blows up Anthony Albanese’s push to host COP31 in Adelaide and the South Pacific.
Australia would need to wait at least five years before bidding for another UN Conference of the Parties climate change summit if Turkey blows-up Anthony Albanese’s push to host COP31 in Adelaide and the South Pacific next year.
Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen said despite Australia’s bid securing “overwhelming support”, Turkey would need to withdraw its rival bid to ensure the Albanese government wins the rights to COP31.
As revealed by The Australian last week, the Turkish government is refusing to pull out of the COP31 bidding process despite overtures from senior Albanese government ministers and officials. Senior government figures have indicated there is waning hope Australia will strike a late deal with Turkey.
UN processes dictate the successful bidder must win a clear consensus, which means Australia needs Turkey to stand aside.
Emine Erdogan, the wife of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and a prominent climate activist, is understood to be an influential backer of Turkey’s bid.
In an interview with The Australian, Mr Bowen on Monday confirmed if there is an “ongoing stalemate” the COP31 summit would by default be held in Bonn.
“I want to win this bid. This is our group’s turn. So, if you don’t get it this time … it’s a five-year delay,” Mr Bowen said, adding there had been ongoing high-level engagement with Turkish officials to discuss a resolution.
“I’ve been to Turkiye and met with my counterpart,” he said, using the alternative name for the country. “The Foreign Minister has been engaged. It’s important we respect their bid but it’s also important that we recognise that we have overwhelming support.
“So those people that say … the government should be doing more to go out and earn votes, I understand what they’re saying from their perspective but it’s not the case, I’ve got the votes. There’s only one country that can solve this now, it’s Turkiye with us.
“It’s an ongoing focus. The final decision is made in Belem (at COP30 in Brazil in November). That was the case we were in a few years ago … Azerbaijan and Armenia couldn’t agree. It was decided in Dubai 12 months out.”
Azerbaijan won its bid for Baku to host COP29 following a prisoner swap with Armenia, which pulled out of the process. Mr Bowen, who doesn’t have the option for a prisoner swap, said Azerbaijan “did a great job … within 12 months they had a great COP venue and organisation set up”.
Boris Johnson’s British government won the 2021 COP26 conference in Glasgow after using generous incentives to encourage Turkey to pull out of the race.
If Australia does win its bid to co-host the COP31 summit with Pacific nations, the Prime Minister would need to nominate a person to take up the climate change conference presidency.
The high-profile role, which would be a cabinet-level position, has in recent years been held by senior ministers from host countries including foreign affairs, industry, environment and climate change ministers.
Asked if he would put his hand up for the COP31 presidency in the event Australia won the bid, Mr Bowen said “I don’t want to start pre-empting”.
Mr Albanese first declared that Labor would launch a bid for the 2026 COP31 summit, in partnership with Pacific nations, ahead of the 2022 election.
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