Pacific leaders are disappointed that Australia has lost its bid to host next year’s United Nations Climate Conference.
As this year’s Climate Conference, COP30, wrapped up in Brazil, attendees found out that COP31 would be taking place in Turkey in 2026.
Australia had campaigned for years for the climate meeting to be held in its country.
Radio New Zealand reported Palau's President Surangel Whipps said he was "deeply disappointed" by the decision.
He added, "A Pacific COP was vital (to highlight) the everyday realities of climate impacts, and the serious threats to food security, economies and livelihoods in the Pacific and beyond."
Despite pressure from more than 80 nations, COP30 did not adopt a "roadmap" to phase out fossil fuels.
The new agreement put forward by Australia’s Climate Minister Chris Bowen is for a mini-conference to be hosted in the Pacific next year, while the main event will be in Turkey.
Bowen told the media at COP30 in Brazil that the new proposal would allow Australia to issue the main planning for the event, while Turkey would oversee the operation of the meeting.
Australia and the Pacific had most of the support to host the meeting from parties, but the process meant that if there was no resolution from the months-long stand-off with Turkey, the default city of Bonn, Germany, would have hosted the conference.
