Australia and Türkiye have agreed to pursue a joint presidency-led “cover decision” for the upcoming COP31 climate summit in Antalya, aiming to capture the global moment and outline a focused political direction rather than negotiating a lengthy, word-by-word text between governments.
The announcement came on Wednesday at the pre-COP meeting in Fiji, delivered by Australian Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen alongside COP31 President Murat Kurum. This decision bypasses the traditional, grueling consensus negotiations that bog down formal COP texts, opting instead for a presidency-crafted summary that encapsulates key initiatives and sets the political tone for the coming year.
Minister Bowen explained that the joint presidency wants to avoid a protracted political statement. Instead, the final document will offer a focused and concrete response to current global challenges, potentially acknowledging that an overshoot of the 1.5C warming limit is now inevitable while emphasizing that temperatures could eventually be brought back down.
Shaping the Antalya Agenda Amid Divergent Pressures
The joint arrangement pairs Australia with Türkiye, which holds the formal title of COP31 President. Earlier in the week, the co-presidents published a second joint letter outlining priorities for the negotiations, ranging from establishing a just transition mechanism to putting science at the center of the next global stocktake and boosting adaptation finance.
European climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra told journalists in Fiji earlier on Wednesday that the European Commission had pressed the UN and COP31 organizers for clear transparency on the summit’s agenda and what success looks like in Antalya. Hoekstra expressed strong support for the organizers’ push toward electrification, noting that Brussels welcomes upfront clarity on targets.
Türkiye floated a voluntary goal at the Bonn mid-year climate talks for electricity to provide 35% of the global final energy consumption by 2035, up from 23% today. Australia announced on Wednesday that it would officially sign up for this 35×35 goal, but it is unclear whether or how the target will be integrated into the COP31 cover decision.
| Key COP31 Priority | Proposed Focus | Primary Stakeholders |
|---|---|---|
| Cover Decision | Presidency-led summary of key initiatives | Australia & Türkiye |
| Electrification Target | 35% of global energy from electricity by 2035 | Türkiye, Australia, European Union |
| Transition Away From Fossil Fuels | Voluntary roadmaps and renewable scaling | Global Climate Negotiators |
Fossil Fuel Producers Hinder Clean Energy Commitments
Including the electrification pledge in a consensus-driven cover decision introduces significant diplomatic hurdles. Powerful fossil-fuel producing nations, including Russia, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, have consistently used blocking tactics in recent years to hinder progress on the 2023 decision to transition away from fossil fuels.
At COP30 in Belém, Brazil had to introduce a voluntary transition roadmap at the last minute after failing to secure broader support within formal talks. E3G climate diplomacy lead Cosima Cassel warned that the COP31 cover decision must explicitly specify that the targeted electrification relies on clean energy sources, cautioning that vague framing risks inadvertently supporting new fossil fuel projects.
Hoekstra reinforced this sentiment, stating that the core effort of the energy transition must focus firmly on renewables alongside nuclear power as part of the solution. Doubling down on solar, wind, and battery storage remains the definitive path forward, according to European officials.
With consultations ongoing between diverse country groupings, the Australia-Türkiye co-presidency faces the delicate task of maintaining transparency and building consensus ahead of the November summit.
