16 hours agoShareSaveMatt McGrathEnvironment correspondent, at COP30 in Belém, BrazilShareSaveAFP via Getty Images”Obviously, it would be great if Australia could have it all, but we can’t have it all,” Mr Bowen told reporters outside the Australian delegation offices here in Belém.”This process works on consensus, and consensus means if someone objected to our bid, it would go to Bonn.””That would mean 12 months with a lack of leadership, no COP president in place, no plan, that would be irresponsible for multilateralism in this challenging environment.”Mr Bowen believes having a COP president not from the host country will work and that he will have the considerable authority reserved for the president of these gatherings.”As COP president of negotiations, I would have all the powers of the COP presidency to manage, to handle the negotiations, to appoint co-facilitators, to prepare draft text, to issue the cover decision,” he said.He also confirmed to the BBC that Turkey will also appoint a president who will run the venue, organise the meetings and schedules.Australia’s climbdown will be embarrassing for the government of Mr Albanese, after lobbying long and hard to win support among the other nations in the Western Europe group.The compromise will have to be ratified by more than 190 countries gathered here for COP30.Given the difficulties in getting to this compromise, there are unlikely to be any objections. …
