Turkey and Australia, which will co-host the Cop31 climate summit in Antalya next month, are drawing scrutiny from climate activists over their fossil fuel operations and public messaging ahead of the major international negotiations. The two nations share responsibility for the fortnight-long talks, with Australia holding the role of “president of negotiations” for discussions involving nearly 200 countries.
Activists and observers have highlighted what they characterize as a substantial gap between the hosts’ climate rhetoric and their actual energy policies. Campaign group 350.org released a report indicating that coal shipments from Australia to Turkey have generated more than 75 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions since the Paris climate agreement was signed in 2015. The organization also noted that both countries are expanding their liquefied natural gas trade. Official communications from the Cop31 presidency—including letters from Turkish and Australian governments outlining the summit’s mission—have not addressed fossil fuels, despite these being the primary driver of climate change.
The timing has intensified criticism, as a New South Wales regulator approved a major thermal coalmine expansion just days before preparatory meetings began. The project could result in 809 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions if granted federal approval. Meanwhile, Australia remains one of the world’s largest exporters of coal and liquefied natural gas, with shipments this year projected to exceed A$140 billion. Turkey, for its part, is Europe’s largest coal-power generator and has signaled potential capacity expansions of approximately 30 percent by 2035.
Australian Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen responded to the criticism by emphasizing that addressing climate change aligns with Australia’s national and economic interests. He noted that Treasury analysis supports Australia’s transition to renewable energy exports while maintaining trading relationships with partners pursuing their own energy transitions. However, critics including the Climate Analytics chief executive have questioned whether the host nations can overcome their “addiction to fossil fuels” during negotiations. Pacific island nations, particularly vulnerable to climate impacts, have expressed concern that Australia’s coalmine approval sends problematic signals as it leads the formal negotiations.
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