COP31 (Climate) Presidency Joint Letter
Copenhagen, Denmark | 20 May 2026
Executive Summary
The first joint letter from the incoming COP31 Presidency sets out the political direction and priorities for the UN Climate Conference that will take place in Antalya, Türkiye in November 2026. Issued jointly by Türkiye and Australia, the letter frames COP31 as an “Implementation COP” focused on accelerating delivery of existing climate commitments rather than negotiating entirely new frameworks.
The Presidency places strong emphasis on climate finance, energy transition, adaptation, resilience, and international cooperation at a time of growing geopolitical and climate pressures. Pacific Island states feature prominently throughout the document, with Fiji set to host the official Pre-COP meeting and Tuvalu hosting a special leaders gathering ahead of the conference.
The letter also signals that COP31 will prioritise practical implementation, investment, and delivery, while attempting to rebuild confidence in multilateral climate cooperation. For island communities and climate-vulnerable regions, the document suggests that adaptation finance, resilience, ocean issues, and just transition discussions will remain central themes on the road to Antalya.
A COP Focused on Implementation
On 20 May 2026, the incoming COP31 leadership released its first formal joint letter outlining the priorities, structure, and political direction for the COP. The letter was jointly issued by COP31 President-Designate H.E. Murat Kurum of Türkiye and President of Negotiations H.E. Chris Bowen MP of Australia.
Throughout the letter, COP31 is framed as a conference focused on implementation, delivery, and practical cooperation. Türkiye describes the conference as both an “Implementation COP” and a “COP of the Future,” centred on translating existing commitments into “tangible and trackable progress.”
A New Presidency Model
A notable feature of the announcement is the new Türkiye–Australia partnership structure being used for the Presidency. The arrangement sees Türkiye acting as COP host and formal Presidency, while Australia assumes the role of President of Negotiations in close consultation with Türkiye and Pacific partners.
The letter describes this as a new model for delivering a UNFCCC COP, grounded in consultation, shared responsibility, and cooperation. The Presidency repeatedly references dialogue, inclusivity, and transparency as core principles for the year ahead.
Politically, this appears designed to position COP31 as a stabilising and implementation-focused conference at a time of increasing geopolitical fragmentation and pressure on international institutions.
Core Political Priorities
The priorities outlined by the Presidency cover a broad range of climate and development issues. Particular emphasis is placed on:
Electrification and energy transition
Resilient infrastructure and cities
Circular economy approaches
Sustainable agriculture and food systems
Green industrial transformation
Climate finance and resilience for vulnerable regions
However, the overall tone of the letter suggests that finance and implementation capacity will sit at the centre of the political agenda moving into Antalya.
Climate Finance and Adaptation
Climate finance is repeatedly referenced throughout the document, particularly in relation to adaptation and the needs of developing countries.
The Presidency stresses the importance of scaling up finance from all sources, improving access to funding, and aligning global financial flows with climate goals. There is also strong support for advancing implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), and the operationalisation of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage.
Adaptation and resilience feature prominently across the letter. The Presidency acknowledges the growing impacts of sea-level rise, extreme temperatures, and loss and damage, arguing that adaptation must remain a global priority. The document also points toward continued work on the Global Goal on Adaptation and related technical processes emerging from recent COPs.
Pacific and Island State Engagement
Pacific Island engagement is one of the clearest geopolitical themes running throughout the letter.
Australia confirmed that the official Pre-COP meeting will take place in Fiji, while a special leaders gathering will be held in Tuvalu between 5–8 October 2026. According to the Presidency, these meetings are intended to expose world leaders directly to the realities of climate change in Pacific nations while also showcasing locally-led resilience and adaptation efforts.
Australia also used the letter to announce three Pacific Climate Envoys:
Tina Stege of the Marshall Islands, Regional Envoy for Oceania, focused on keeping 1.5 within reach.
Ruel Yamuna of Papua New Guinea, Envoy for Access to Climate Finance
Hon Inia B Seruiratu of Fiji, Envoy for the Ocean
The prominence given to Pacific voices signals that island states are likely to remain highly visible throughout the COP31 process, particularly on issues relating to adaptation, resilience, climate justice, and ocean governance.
Just Transition and International Cooperation
The Presidency also signals continued focus on just transition discussions. The letter references efforts to develop a “Just Transition Mechanism” intended to support orderly and inclusive economic transitions. This aligns with a broader trend within the UN climate process to frame climate action not only as an environmental necessity, but also as an economic and social transformation process.
The document repeatedly returns to themes of dialogue, consensus-building, and multilateral cooperation. At a time when many international negotiations are becoming increasingly polarised, the Presidency appears eager to present COP31 as a forum capable of delivering practical outcomes through collaboration rather than confrontation.
What This Means Ahead of Antalya
Taken together, the first Presidency letter suggests that Antalya will likely focus less on major headline agreements and more on accelerating delivery across existing commitments.
Finance, implementation, adaptation, resilience, and energy transition are likely to dominate the political agenda, while Pacific and island voices appear set to play a particularly visible role in shaping discussions throughout the year ahead.
For island communities and climate-vulnerable regions, the roadmap to COP31 may provide important opportunities to shape conversations around climate finance access, resilience planning, ocean governance, and international financial reform.
The full joint letter from the COP31 Presidency can be accessed HERE
