COP31 climate summit held in Antalya
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The gist
COP31 runs Nov 9–20, 2026, at Antalya's Expo Center, with Australia chairing negotiations and Türkiye hosting.
It is the first UN climate summit with a presidency split between two countries.
Background
COP31 is the annual decision-making summit of the UNFCCC, the 1992 UN climate treaty that is the parent of the 2015 Paris Agreement. This edition is unusual: Türkiye hosts in Antalya while Australia chairs the negotiations, the first time the COP presidency is split between two countries. Türkiye won the hosting role in late 2025 after Australia gave up its own bid, leaving only about 12 months to plan the event at the Antalya Expo Center.
How it unfolded
- Nov 20, 2025Türkiye is confirmed as COP31 host in Antalya, ending a standoff with Australia over the location; Australia cedes hosting rights but will lead the negotiations.
- Jun 26, 2026UN-organised preparatory meetings are held in Bonn with government delegates from nearly 200 countries.
- Sep 2026At the Climate Summit 2026, UN Secretary-General António Guterres convenes global leaders to push faster climate action and a just transition.
- Oct 5, 2026 –8, 2026Official pre-COP meetings and leaders' events take place in Fiji and Tuvalu, with the pre-COP held in Nadi, Fiji.
- Oct 30, 2026Brazil's presidency says President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will attend COP31 in Antalya.
- Nov 5, 2026Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says he plans to travel to Antalya for the summit.
- Nov 9, 2026 –20, 2026COP31 is held at the Antalya Expo Center, with a World Leaders' Summit scheduled for Nov 11 and 12.
Key terms
- COP31
- The 31st yearly meeting of parties to the UN climate treaty, where governments assess and negotiate climate action.
- UNFCCC
- A 1992 international treaty under which countries negotiate to limit dangerous human interference with the climate system.
Source: Wikipedia
Who’s saying what
- Official
- The Türkiye-Australia joint presidency says the gap between ambition and implementation must close, with electrification a priority for accelerating climate action.
- Expert
- Amnesty International says Türkiye's continued reliance on coal and pursuit of fossil gas risk locking it into a high-emissions pathway, and that Australia must confront the contradiction of leading negotiations while supporting fossil fuel extraction.
- Caution
- Amnesty International's Marta Schaaf says Türkiye must respect freedom of expression and protest rights so climate-justice advocates can freely take part before, during and after COP31.
- Official
- UN Secretary-General António Guterres calls for faster implementation of climate commitments, more clean-energy investment, affordable climate finance and stronger resilience to climate impacts.