Joint letter from COP31 President-Designate H.E. Murat Kurum and President of Negotiations H.E. Chris Bowen MP — Copenhagen, 20 May 2026 — setting out the Türkiye–Australia partnership, leadership appointments and mandate for COP31.
Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, and dear friends,
We write to you as part of our committed collaborations as COP31 President-Designate, and President of Negotiations.
Our first joint letter outlines a shared vision and commitment to be inclusive and consultative as grounded in transparency, cooperation and meaningful engagement with all Parties, to ensure the success of COP31.
Climate action is a strategic pathway to sustainable prosperity, economic resilience and long-term energy security. The growing investments in clean energy, resilient infrastructure and sustainable technologies demonstrate the global momentum. COP31 presents a vital opportunity to further accelerate this momentum, particularly in the areas of clean energy, electrification, and resilient infrastructure.
The decade since the Paris Agreement has been the hottest on record. At a time of intensifying climate and energy challenges, COP31 will be able to provide an important opportunity to strengthen collective action, accelerate implementation and reinforce international cooperation in pursuit of the goals of the Paris Agreement.
With this mind, the COP 31 presidency model reflects a unique framework based on consultation, mutual respect and shared responsibility.
The agreed Türkiye–Australia Partnership Modalities represents a new way to deliver a UNFCCC COP, anchored in a shared spirit of co-operation, solidarity in a shared challenge, and strong commitment to the multilateral system. We encourage all Parties to engage in this same spirit of goodwill, flexibility and collaboration.
Australia is honoured to take on the role of President of Negotiations for COP31 in close consultation with Türkiye. We will work closely with the Pacific, all Parties, observers and stakeholders to deliver outcomes that take the world forward.
As emphasised in my first Presidency letter, at a time when the importance of multilateral cooperation has never been greater, Türkiye, as the COP31 Presidency, is committed to strengthening confidence in the ability of the UN climate process to deliver concrete, measurable, and implementation-oriented outcomes.
Building upon the achievements of previous COPs, including the outcomes of COP30 in Belém, the COP31 process will be guided by the principles of Dialogue, Consensus, and Action, and pursued through an inclusive, balanced, and results-oriented approach. COP31 in Antalya will be shaped as both an “Implementation COP” and a “COP of the Future,” aimed at translating commitments into tangible and trackable progress. In this context and through the six axes of the Global Climate Action Agenda, priority areas will include the electrification/energy transition, zero waste/circular economy, resilient cities/infrastructure, sustainable agriculture/food systems, green industrial transformation, climate finance, and strengthening the resilience of vulnerable regions and ecosystems. The Presidency will also actively encourage the meaningful participation of all stakeholders including governments, academia, civil society, private sector and youth throughout the process.
Inspired by the spirit of solidarity, balance, and coexistence symbolised by Göbeklitepe, Türkiye is determined to ensure that the road to Antalya is conducted in a transparent, inclusive, and solution-oriented manner. The Leaders’ Summit to be held in Antalya will provide an important opportunity to generate political momentum, advance practical initiatives, and reaffirm our shared determination to translate commitments into implementation.
Through a strong spirit of international cooperation extending from Türkiye to the Pacific, and through an innovative Presidency model, Türkiye’s COP31 Presidency aims to contribute to shaping a new era of climate diplomacy that supports faster, more effective, and more credible global climate action.
My approach as President-Designate will be closely aligned with my friend Hon Chris Bowen as President of Negotiations. Together, we will act in continuity with the efforts and leadership of past Presidents, to drive strong implementation and practical outcomes.
We recognise the importance both of the outcomes achieved together through COP, and of ensuring we reach them through an inclusive process, with our many diverse views heard.
I am honoured to assume the role of President of Negotiations for COP31. I hold deep respect for the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement, and having seen firsthand the strength of our multilateral climate system and its capability, when we stand together, to drive transformational impact. Australia will deliver our responsibilities as President of Negotiations in an inclusive, transparent and party-driven manner, focused on acceleration and implementation.
I will be supported by Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Hon Josh Wilson MP and Hon Kate Thwaites MP, Special Envoy for Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience in this effort.
To enable Australia’s role, I am pleased to announce Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) Deputy Secretary Kushla Munro will serve as Executive Director for Australia’s President of Negotiations, and will lead Australia’s overall COP31 endeavour. This includes the strategic framework for COP31 negotiations, Australia’s contribution to the Action Agenda, Pre-COP and the leaders’ component, and engagements with Parties and non-Party Stakeholders.
Dr Sally Box will serve as Deputy President of Negotiations and Chief Negotiator for COP31, working collaboratively with all Parties towards ambitious and successful negotiated outcomes for COP31.
Mr David Higgins will serve as Deputy Executive Director for Australia’s President of Negotiations and will lead on Pre-COP as well as Australia’s contributions to the Action Agenda in collaboration with Türkiye.
I will be reaching out to you, and equally I encourage you to reach out to me and my team directly with views and perspectives of importance to your nation as we move forward.
Australia is proud to be partnering with Pacific island nations, our Pacific family, working collectively to elevate the priorities of climate-vulnerable island states in our region and across the world, with whom we share an ocean and a future. We look forward to hosting the Pre-COP in the Republic of Fiji, and the special leaders gathering in Tuvalu, to be held on 5th – 8th October 2026.
In the Pacific, leaders will witness the impacts of climate change on Pacific nations and the region’s innovative, locally-led solutions firsthand.
To elevate these vital issues, I am also pleased to announce the appointment of our three Pacific Climate Envoys:
We are also delighted to welcome Sally Higgins as the Presidency Youth Climate Champion for COP31. An Australian farmer by background, she will bring a unique blend of hands-on agricultural experience and policy knowledge to the role.
Australia, in partnership with Türkiye, will engage collaboratively with all Parties and constituencies to advance progress across the negotiating agenda.
The Global Mutirão decision at COP30 reaffirmed the progress achieved under the multilateral climate framework and the strength of international cooperation, while underscoring the urgent need to accelerate implementation to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and keep the 1.5°C target within reach. In this regard, COP31 will place implementation at the center of its agenda, encouraging Parties to advance cooperation, investment and concrete action through an inclusive and constructive approach, while fostering early engagement and consensus-building ahead of COP31.
In partnership with the COP29 and COP30 Presidencies, efforts under the Belém Mission to 1.5 and the Global Implementation Accelerator will focus on supporting the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans, with the aim of enabling ambition, accelerating implementation to keep 1.5 °C within reach, enhancing international cooperation, and supporting investment across mitigation and adaptation.
At the same time, COP31 will seek to strengthen existing UNFCCC and Paris Agreement workstreams across mitigation, adaptation and finance, as well as in cross-cutting areas, including just transition, agriculture and transparency. These workstreams demonstrate how ambition, action, support and implementation can be advanced together in the negotiations. The reviews of several work programmes under these workstreams are a chance to ensure our systems are responsive to our changing global context and capable of delivering the collaboration and implementation needed to achieve our shared goals.
In this context, we will work closely with Parties to make effective use of our existing and new mandates, dialogues and initiatives, including the development of the Just Transition Mechanism to promote orderly and inclusive transitions that leave no one behind. We also look forward to advancing the COP30 dialogues on the Global Stocktake, Finance and Trade, while supporting the implementation of mandates related to the ocean, response measures and gender.
Due to record temperatures, rising sea levels and increasing loss and damage, strengthening adaptation and resilience remains a global priority. We will therefore work with Parties to advance inclusive and science-based adaptation action and to scale up adaptation finance and investment in line with global commitments.
Building on the significant adaptation outcomes achieved at COP28–30, we will work to ensure that implementation of the Global Goal on Adaptation is guided by a strong technical and scientific support base. We will engage transparently with Parties and stakeholders to deliver greater clarity on the ‘Belém–Addis Vision on adaptation’ and the ‘Baku Adaptation Roadmap’ processes. At the same time, we will promote concrete progress on loss and damage, including through the initial funding processes for the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage, as well as the continued work of the Santiago Network and the Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism.
We will work with Parties to scale up climate finance from all sources and align global investment flows with climate goals, while recognising the vital role of public finance. Together, we will seek to ensure that the economic opportunities created by climate action are shared by all. We will also work to advance capacity-building and technology development and transfer as critical enablers for a safe and resilient future and a fundamental step in achieving our goals.
It is critical that we respond to the needs of developing countries and ensure that the climate finance architecture, including the multilateral development institutions and the operating entities of the Financial Mechanism, delivers accessible and effective finance. Advancing the implementation of the Paris Agreement, including the new collective quantified goal on climate finance, Article 9 and Article 2.1(c), will be essential to ensuring that the benefits of climate action are felt by all and that no one is left behind.
We recognise the importance of timely submissions of NDCs, NAPs and Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs) in advancing the implementation of the Paris Agreement. We encourage all Parties to strengthen their engagement, including through the enhanced transparency framework and through the technical expert reviews, while recognising the flexibility available to SIDS and LDCs. We look forward to working with the international community to continue to drive stronger levels of submissions in 2026.
In these times of uncertainty, accelerating the climate action and delivering strong negotiated outcomes is more important than ever. Collective action at COP31, reinforced by the broader multilateral system, remains our strongest tool to address the global challenge of climate change.
COP31 is an opportunity, through Dialogue and Consensus, to achieve real Action. It is also a chance to enhance decarbonisation, strengthen clean industries and jobs, and build more resilient energy systems by diversifying energy resources, as well as strengthening adaptation and resilience of communities.
Our innovative partnership can deliver — building upon the warmth, solidarity and partnership between Türkiye and Australia, in continuity with Brazil and Azerbaijan, and partnership with the Pacific.
A sustainable, prosperous, decarbonised future is possible.
And we look forward to working with you all to get there.
