Australia ‘not going anywhere’ on COP31 hosting goal
At global climate talks in Brazil, Chris Bowen looks to rivals Türkiye and promises Australia will be successful in its bid to host the 2026 COP31 conference in Adelaide.
The climate minister arrived in the host city of Belem on Monday, delivering Australia’s national address and backing a bid. Pacific decarbonization plan.
The main game for most countries at the 2025 COP, held in the gateway city of the Amazon rainforest, is to move towards the Paris Agreement, the global agreement that aims to limit global warming to 1.5C.
Australia’s presence, meanwhile, is focused on gaining the rights to the 2026 conference it hopes to co-host with the Pacific.
Hosting decisions are made unanimously; This means Australia must persuade Türkiye to abandon its offer to avoid diplomatic disaster.
Türkiye has given no hint that it might walk away, leading to a stalemate.
Despite the deadlock, Mr Bowen maintains his faith and tells COP participants he will accept the tender.
“Let me be clear, we are in this business and we are in this business to win,” he said.
“We’re not going anywhere and South Australia isn’t going anywhere either.”
Mr Bowen’s comments came at a side event hosted by the Australia pavilion, which champions South Australia’s renewable bona fides.
The minister also made a formal address to the general assembly announcing Australia’s climate information, including a 2035 emissions target of 62-70 per cent below 2005 levels.
It also maintained its hosting rights, saying Australia wanted to “bring the world to our region to see the impacts of climate change and bring together the world’s best innovators and businesses to invest in solutions.”
“By hosting COP31, we want to offer hope through our unwavering commitment to collective action, bringing continuity and stability from the Amazon, the lungs of the earth, to our blue Pacific continent.”
Pacific leaders unanimously endorsed Australia’s offer through Pacific Islands Forum leaders’ statements issued in recent years.
Vanuatu Climate Minister Ralph Regenvanu said Pacific countries were all pushing for hosting rights but had “no idea” about the outcome.
“Minister Bowen spoke about it and didn’t seem to know what was going to happen, but he did say Australia would continue to fight for this to the end,” he told AAP.
“Small island developing states in the Pacific are meeting with delegations on this issue.”
Australia also appears to have the support of many developed countries.
A briefing note seen by AAP suggests Australia has the open support of 24 of the 28 “Western European and Others Group” countries, while Türkiye has no publicly declared backers.
While questions are being asked whether the huge cost of hosting the event is desirable for Australia, climate advocacy groups are desperate for the government to pull it off.
“This is a once-in-a-generation chance and it will be a missed opportunity if they don’t win the COP presidency,” Australian Conservation Foundation climate manager Gavan McFadzean told AAP.
“Our Pacific neighbors are among the least contributors to the climate crisis but among the worst affected, and there is a tremendous economic and employment opportunity to transform our coal and gas exports into renewable energy-based production.”
Mr Bowen also backed a Vanuatu and Tuvalu-backed report on decarbonisation in the Pacific, which was also endorsed by the Australian Smart Energy Council, just released at the COP talks.
Many countries are struggling with unreliable or expensive energy sources such as imported diesel and are trying to get rid of this situation.
“If we can manage the rapid transition of our energy systems in the Pacific Islands, it could be a beacon for the rest of the world,” Mr. Regenvanu said.
“Our survival depends on it.”
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