Prime minister says Australia will bid to co-host 2026 UN climate change meeting

During a visit to Adelaide, the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed that if he is re-elected, the Australian Labor Party will formally bid for South Australia to host a future International Climate Change Conference — or COP.

Mr Albanese said Australia's bid for a COP is being made in partnership with Pacific nations.

COP stands for the Conference of Parties. The meetings are held every year and are a gathering of member states of the United Nations to discuss global warming.

"One of things that a climate change conference will do is showcase this beautiful city and when you look at the work the premier is doing in renewables, I can't think of anywhere better than South Australia," he said.

The last COP summit — also known as COP-29 — was held in Azerbaijan, where nations agreed to implement a $460 billion annual funding deal until 2035 to help developing nations adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Last month, the Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said if he wins the May 3 election, he will scrap Labor's plan to host a future COP.

Mr Dutton said hosting a COP during a cost-of-living crisis was "madness". 

"I saw Anthony Albanese catching up with an elderly lady and I hope he told her, she is struggling with the cost-of-living prices under Labor but the government is planning to spend tens of billions of taxpayer dollars on hosting a COP process that will not bring down power prices and will sign a Labor government up to giving tens or hundreds of millions of dollars out to third party countries," he said at the time.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, South Australia's Liberal Opposition Leader, Vincent Tarzia, said hosting a COP meeting in South Australia would showcase Labor's "lack of energy policy" in the state.

"They'll be able to see the highest energy prices in the world, but apart from that, if the COP does come here, well of course I know that South Australians would do a very good job at hosting the people that come here.

"But it sounds like a commitment that might be well in the billions of dollars, so let's just see how the federal outcome goes."

Praise for SA's event success

On the campaign trail in Adelaide on Monday, Mr Albanese said "holding a COP, a climate change conference internationally, produces revenue as well".

According to Mr Albanese, the decision for which country will host the next COP in 2026 will be decided at this year's meeting, which is being held in Belém, Brazil from November 10 until November 21.

One of the reasons South Australia is being put forward as a host for the international conference is the state's success in holding big events such as the Gather Round that attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors over the past weekend.

Mr Albanese directly praised South Australian Labor Premier Peter Malinauskas for the state's success.

"WOMADelaide, the cycling, the range of activities that occur here, and festivals — he [Peter Malinauskas] is putting Adelaide on the map as a global city," Mr Albanese said.

"And when you look at the work that the premier is doing in renewables leading Australia, as South Australia has for a long period of time, then I can't think of anywhere better than South Australia."

Speaking alongside the prime minister on the campaign trail, Mr Malinauskas said hosting a COP meeting is an important opportunity for Australia.

"Here in South Australia, we are exceptionally proud of the fact that basically 80 per cent of all the energy consumed in our state comes exclusively from renewables," he said.

"We have demonstrated that we are capable of hosting not just events, but massive events. And there is no bigger event on the planet outside of the Olympics than COP.

"I think South Australians will be exceptionally excited about the prospect of hosting yet another major event in our calendar in the not-too-distant future. Subject to, of course, the outcome of the federal election."

South Australian Greens Senator and the party's spokesperson for the environment, Sarah Hanson-Young, said she supported the idea of SA hosting a future COP, but urged it was an opportunity for the country — and South Australia — to take the lead on getting rid of fossil fuel subsidies and opening new polluting mines.

"Globally, 2024 was the hottest year on record and South Australia is feeling the impacts of climate change from droughts to extreme heat and bushfires," she said.

"To be a leader in our region Australia must stop ignoring the pleas from our Pacific neighbours, who are clear in their calls for no new coal and gas."

Australia was in 'the naughty corner'

Mr Albanese said the bid for Australia to host a future COP was in partnership with the Pacific.

"It's one of the ways that we've repaired the relationship with the Pacific," he said.

In a reference to comments made by Peter Dutton back in 2015, Mr Albanese said "every Pacific leader remembers what my opponent said about water lapping at their doors, and that is our credibility in the region is really important".

"And that's why this joint bid overwhelmingly has the support of the Pacific."