COP31 in Antalya: Why Hosts Türkiye and Australia Face Pressure on Fossil Fuel Language
COP31, the 31st UN climate conference, will be held in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9 to 20 November 2026. The two countries leading it, Türkiye and Australia, are facing pressure to put fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) on the agenda.
For the first time in COP history, the job is split. Türkiye hosts the conference, and its environment minister is the COP31 President. Australia is the "President of Negotiations", which means it runs the formal talks and the draft texts. A Pre-COP and a leaders' event will be held in Fiji and Tuvalu from 5 to 8 October 2026, together with Pacific island countries.
The split came out of a deal at COP30 (Belém, Brazil, November 2025). Both countries wanted to host, and the Western European and Others Group (the UN regional group whose turn it was) could not agree. Without a deal, the conference would have moved to Bonn, Germany, by default.
The fossil fuel question is unfinished business. COP28 (Dubai, 2023) asked the world to "transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems". But the final COP30 decision had no mention of fossil fuels at all. Brazil instead promised a separate, voluntary roadmap on moving away from fossil fuels, to be prepared outside the formal talks.
COP31's own action agenda focuses on a "35 by 35" global electrification pledge (more of the world's energy coming from electricity). Critics say it does not require that this electricity come from clean sources rather than coal or gas.
Both host countries still depend heavily on fossil fuels. In 2025, fossil fuels made about 56% of Türkiye's electricity. In Australia, fossil fuels make over 60% of electricity, with coal alone about 45%, and Australia is among the world's largest fossil fuel exporters. Experts say the hosts' credibility will depend on action at home.
UNFCCC and the Conference of the Parties (COP)
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the main world treaty on climate change. It was agreed in 1992, and almost every country has joined it. The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the yearly meeting of all the countries that have joined, called "Parties". It is the treaty's highest decision-making body, so when the news says "COP31", it means the 31st such yearly meeting.
COP31 shows how the rotation system works, and where it strains. It was WEOG's turn, and Australia and Türkiye both wanted to host. With no tie-breaking rule and Bonn as the default, they agreed on a new split: Türkiye as host and COP President, and Australia as President of Negotiations. Since COP decisions need consensus, the two presidencies must now find fossil fuel wording that no country blocks.
Global Stocktake (Article 14, Paris Agreement)
The Global Stocktake (GST) is a five-yearly check-up of the whole world's progress on climate change under the Paris Agreement. It looks at the total effort of all countries together, not at any one country. It asks one big question: are we, as a planet, on track to meet the Paris goals? Its answer is meant to push every country to set stronger targets in its next round of climate plans.
The "fossil fuel question" facing the COP31 hosts goes back to the first Global Stocktake. COP28 agreed to transition away from fossil fuels, but COP30 dropped the words from its decision. COP31 is also where the second stocktake formally begins, so how Australia steers the negotiating texts will show whether the COP28 promise is carried forward.
Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC)
CBDR-RC is the basic fairness principle of climate law. It says all countries must protect the climate, but not all must do the same amount. Countries that polluted more in the past, and that have more money and technology, should do more and help others. It appears in the UNFCCC and, in a slightly changed form, in the Paris Agreement.
The fight over fossil fuel language at COP31 is partly a fight about CBDR-RC. Countries pushing for strong words want everyone to move away from fossil fuels quickly. Many developing countries, including India, say the pace and burden must differ, and that rich countries (including major fossil fuel exporters like the co-host Australia) must lead and pay for the transition.
- COP31: Antalya, Türkiye, 9 to 20 November 2026 (also CMP21 and CMA8)
- COP31 President: Türkiye's environment minister; President of Negotiations: Australia (first-ever split of this kind)
- Pre-COP and leaders' event: Fiji and Tuvalu, 5 to 8 October 2026
- COP31 was the Western European and Others Group's turn; the default venue without agreement was Bonn
- COP32: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2027; India withdrew its bid to host COP33 (2028) in April 2026
- COP28 (Dubai, 2023): first COP decision to call for "transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems"
- COP30 (Belém, 2025): final "Global Mutirão" decision made no mention of fossil fuels; presidency promised a voluntary roadmap
- First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels: Santa Marta, Colombia, 24 to 29 April 2026, 57 countries
- COP31 action agenda: "35 by 35" global electrification pledge
- Türkiye: fossil fuels about 56% of electricity (2025); wind and solar rose from 12% (2020) to 22% (2025)
- Australia: over 60% of electricity from fossil fuels, coal about 45%