Why Are Türkiye and Australia Sharing Leadership of COP31?

Since 1995, the Conferences of the Parties (COP) have brought together governments, international organizations, scientists and companies to negotiate and agree on measures to tackle climate change. This edition will introduce an innovative and inclusive model. According to Lara Lázaro, a senior researcher at the Real Instituto Elcano who holds a PhD, COP31 “will serve as a bridge between the Pacific and the Mediterranean.” Although it makes management more complicated, in a context where the multilateral agenda is fragmented by trade tensions and military conflicts, this shared leadership is expected to help establish common, positive lines of action for the future.

Where will COP31 be held?

COP31 will take place in Antalya, a city on the southwestern Mediterranean coast of Türkiye. The venue was confirmed as the official event site following an agreement between Türkiye and Australia to resolve the deadlock over the selection of the host country. According to official United Nations guidelines, the in-person summit, which will bring together 197 countries, will be held at the Antalya EXPO Center in Antalya (Türkiye) from November 9 to 20, 2026.

One of the biggest changes in this edition is that the host country does not automatically have absolute control over negotiation texts.

The decision behind the joint bid for COP31

The selection of the host city is no trivial matter. In general, interested countries present their bids, but the formal decision is made by consensus during the previous COP. In this case, the agreement for a joint bid was announced during COP30 in Belém, Brazil. Both Türkiye and Australia were competing to lead the summit. However, because the selection of the host country requires unanimous support from all countries and neither country backed down, the process remained deadlocked for months until Australia finally withdrew its bid in November.

As Lázaro noted, COP31 opted for a strategic division of roles. This organizational balance is built around two key pillars:

The geopolitical impact of COP31 for Australia and Türkiye

This Climate Summit will have a notable impact on the geopolitical map of both countries.

• For Australia, the conference will reinforce its international standing and its climate aspirations.
• For Türkiye, it represents an opportunity to gain global prestige and showcase its key role as a bridge between two continents. “We are in the middle of the greatest economic, geopolitical, energy and social transition we have seen since the Industrial Revolution,” warned Lázaro.

In her opinion, reconciling the interests of both parties is vital. In order to comply with the Paris Agreement, science calls for “collective progress,” including all countries. However, it should always be in line with their level of development in terms of sustainability, as guaranteed by the fundamental principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC).

How Australia Aims To Reinforce Its Climate Leadership at COP31

For Australia, COP31 represents an opportunity to restore its international climate positioning and demonstrate its efforts in recent years to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels in its energy model, driven by decarbonization. The Australian think tank, Climate Energy Finance, stresses that the country must show that its transition to a “clean energy superpower is more than just a slogan,” by pivoting “to green commodities” as part of an effort to reposition itself “as a leader in zero-emissions trade and investment.”

Since the change in government in Australia in May 2022, the country aims to recover its climate credibility. Its priorities for this event include:

• Green investments and support for the Paris Agreement.
• Support for national adaptation plans and biannual transparency reports.
• Strengthening ties with neighbors in the Pacific to raise the region’s profile for climate security.

Türkiye: the energy connection between Europe and Asia

For Türkiye, where civil society has shown significant interest in making progress on climate issues, the Climate Summit will allow the country to reaffirm its commitment to the multilateral climate regime, a step formally backed by Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC. Ankara’s goal is to bridge the gap between global promises and real results through three pillars: dialogue, consensus and action.

Hosting a multilateral UN summit will bring the country international prestige. In Lázaro’s view, Antalya “is now on the map for the entire world.” COP31 will be the ultimate test to evaluate whether this innovative model connecting the Mediterranean and the Pacific will succeed in accelerating international sustainability efforts.

COP31: Frequently Asked Questions

What is COP31?

COP31 is the 31st Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It brings together governments, international organizations, companies and experts to negotiate steps to fight climate change.

Where will COP31 be held?

The conference will take place in Antalya, Türkiye from November 9 to 20, 2026. The city will host the official meetings of the summit, as well as side events.

Why will COP31 have shared leadership?

For months, Türkiye and Australia maintained rival bids to host the conference. The agreement reached made it possible to unblock the process by dividing the responsibilities between both countries.

What role will each country play in COP31?

Türkiye will act as host country and will be responsible for the logistics and operations of the summit. Australia will lead the policy negotiations and the coordination of official texts.

How significant is this model for climate negotiations?

COP31 will be the first UN climate conference with a shared leadership structure. The goal is to encourage cooperation among regions and strengthen multilateral dialogue in an international context marked by geopolitical tensions.

What role will Australia play in the COP31 negotiations?

Australia will coordinate formal negotiations related to the implementation of the Paris Agreement and other UNFCCC processes and promote the participation of Pacific Island nations in the climate debate.