Australia has poured cold water on the idea it could jointly lead the world's biggest climate conference with Türkiye.
Both countries have days to try to resolve the years-long standoff over hosting rights for the 2026 United Nations climate conference as this year's COP30 in Brazil draws to a close.
The mounting pressure has reportedly led Türkiye to propose a joint presidency model with Australia, which would include sharing hosting duties for high-level meetings and jointly steering negotiations.
But Minister for Regional Development Kristy McBain has downplayed the suggestion.
"It's important that these deliberations play out," she told ABC News on Monday.
"(But) one of the reasons that we wanted to bring COP here and co-host it with our Pacific Island neighbours was so that people got a real understanding of what was actually happening in communities already."
'Overwhelming support of the world'
Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen has travelled to the Amazonian city of Belem for COP30 to represent Australia and try to seal the deal on next year's conference through talks with his Turkish counterparts.
Before his departure on Saturday, he maintained Australia had the "overwhelming support of the world" to host the event.
However, the United Nations' annual Conference of the Parties lacks provisions to break deadlocks over such disputes, with the scenario relying on one side or the other voluntarily withdrawing.
"That means we need to reach an agreement with Türkiye — that's difficult," Bowen told reporters.
"I do know it's in Australia's best interest to be COP president and to host COP."
In a bid to break the stalemate, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier in November.
But Türkiye has refused to back down, saying its candidacy emphasises cooperation and inclusiveness and aims to put greater focus on financing for developing countries while showcasing its progress towards a 2053 net zero emissions goal.
This year's climate change conference is expected to wrap up on Friday, and Bowen has said the hosting deal will be decided by then.
If it remains undecided, Germany — as the home of the UN climate headquarters — may have to take on the responsibility for the 2026 conference.
The annual talks rotate through five regional groups, with COP31's host needing to be unanimously agreed upon by the 28 members of the "Western Europe and Others Group" bloc, which includes Australia and Türkiye.
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