‘Meaningful Step’: Erdogan Welcomes Turkiye–Australia Agreement on COP31

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday hailed a breakthrough agreement with Australia on hosting next year’s UN climate summit, describing the deal as a significant win for multilateral cooperation after years of stalemate.

Under the compromise, Türkiye will host the COP31 climate conference in 2026, while Australia will take charge of leading the negotiation process. The arrangement ends a prolonged impasse dating back to 2022, when both countries submitted competing bids and refused to withdraw.

“Given that multilateralism has recently been losing ground, I consider the agreement we reached with Australia to be meaningful,” Erdogan said at a G20 event in Johannesburg.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed on Sunday that Canberra would hold “exclusive authority in relation to the negotiations” shaping decisions at COP31. He added that the Pacific region would host a special pre-COP meeting to highlight the “existential threat” climate change poses to island nations. Australia’s push had been strongly supported by 18 Pacific Island countries, many on the frontlines of rising seas.

Türkiye’s environment and climate minister, Murat Kurum, celebrated the outcome on X, calling it the result of “hundreds of bilateral meetings” and sustained diplomatic engagement. Speaking later at COP30 in Brazil, he pledged that Türkiye would deliver “a fair and balanced” summit that prioritizes vulnerable regions, including Africa and the Pacific.

COP31 will continue the annual UN climate negotiation process, serving as the world’s central platform for advancing international climate action.