Turkey to host COP31 climate conference in Antalya, with Australia leading negotiations
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The 2026 UN Climate Change Conference, COP31, will be held in Antalya, Turkey, from 9 to 20 November. Turkey hosts under a compromise with Australia, whose minister Chris Bowen will preside over negotiations.
COP31, the 31st session of the UN Climate Change Conference, is due to take place at the Expo Center in Antalya, Turkey, from 9 to 20 November 2026. It is part of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Both Australia and Turkey had bid to host. Australia's Albanese government had planned to hold the event in Adelaide and campaigned for three years. Since neither country would withdraw, representatives negotiated during COP30. Under UN rules, a lack of consensus would have sent the conference to Bonn. After a week of talks in November 2025, the two sides compromised: Turkey hosts, while Australian Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen presides over negotiations.
Murat Kurum, Turkey's Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, will be COP President. Bowen will serve as Vice-President and President of Negotiations. Australia chairs the formal negotiations, while Turkey is responsible for the Action Agenda. Samed Ağırbaş of the Zero Waste Foundation will be Climate High-Level Champion.
A pre-COP meeting was held in Fiji from 5 to 8 October, including a leaders' event in Tuvalu. A World Leaders' Summit will take place in Antalya on 11 and 12 November, the third and fourth days of the conference.
Greenpeace has called for Turkey to cut emissions and end coal subsidies, and groups such as Urgewald have criticised the ministry's support for coal power.
