The Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has firmly rejected the idea of sharing the COP presidency with Turkey, as tensions rise within the government over the ongoing diplomatic stalemate. The dispute centers around Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's insistence on co-hosting the upcoming COP climate meeting, despite the United Nations' rules explicitly prohibiting such an arrangement. Albanese's stance is supported by the Smart Energy Council's Thom Woodroofe, who argues that the concept of a 'co-presidency' is not feasible under the UNFCCC rules and would be impractical due to the differing priorities and experiences of the two countries. With the deadline looming, Australia is seeking a resolution, and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen is in Belém to facilitate negotiations. The pressure is on to find a compromise, as the absence of an agreement could lead to Bonn taking over the hosting duties, which Germany is reluctant to do. The delay is causing concern among delegations, who blame Turkey for the impasse, but Australia's strong support and influence in the region suggest they are prepared to see the process through to the end.
