Both Australia and Turkey are unwilling to abandon their campaign to host the United Nations climate change talks in 2026 and they are likely to decide who is more qualified to do so.
Both countries have been in the race since 2022 but things have changed this year during the COP29 session which takes place this week in Baku. It is evident that they have reached a breaking point now.
Australia’s environment minister paid a last minute visit to Turkey on Friday in a bid to achieve an agreement on the Australian offer as stated by his office. The two are still in negotiations nevertheless since Turkish authorities refused to withdraw their offer.
At the yearly summit, the host plays a crucial role in mediating agreements and directing the final stage of talks. This can provide the nation’s green sectors with a worldwide platform and diplomatic trustworthiness.
The focal point of international climate diplomacy is the COP meeting where around 200 nations get together to discuss funding and joint efforts to reduce the worst effects of warming.
As a member of one of five regional organisations each nation has the opportunity to host if they are interested in.
As fossil fuel producers such as the United Arab Emirates have hosted it before, that arrangement has come under fire by prompting activists to question whether nations with significant stakes in polluting industries can act as sincere mediators in climate negotiations.
The country’s Mediterranean position will help lower emissions from planes carrying attendees to the conference as said by Turkey’s deputy environment minister Fatma Varank to Reuters by pointing out that the country’s oil and gas business is smaller than Australia’s. One of the biggest exporters of fossil fuels worldwide is Australia.
Australia’s climate minister Chris Bowen told Reuters at COP29,“We don’t deny the fact that we have traditionally been a fossil fuel exporter, but we’re in the middle of a transition to change to export renewable energy.” He stated, “We have a story to tell” referring to Australia’s proposal for a “Pacific COP” to raise awareness of concerns impacting the region’s most vulnerable island states.
About 80 percent of Turkey’s energy comes from fossil fuels and in 2023 it was the second-largest generator of coal-fired electricity in Europe. The country also has a small oil and gas industry. It backed out of its bid to host the COP26 negotiations in 2021 leaving Britain to serve as the summit’s host. Turkey was hesitant to resign as per the statement given by Varank.
The 28 nations in the UN’s Western Europe and Others regional group have to support the winner unanimously. Although hosts are frequently confirmed years in advance to give them time to prepare as there is no hard deadline.
Britain, Canada and Germany are among the members who have openly supported Australia. Pacific leaders have supported Australia as long as it addresses climate-related problems that they face like increasing sea levels and coastline erosion.
Sivendra Michael, Fiji’s climate secretary, told Reuters that his nation supported Australia’s proposal. “But we are also cautiously reminding them of the national efforts that they need to make to transition away from fossil fuels.”
Turkey refused to announce which regional group members had extended support to it.
