Seoul Gazette - Pacific islands rue lost chance to host COP climate summit

Australia had sought to co-host the UN's top climate conference alongside South Pacific neighbours gravely threatened by rising oceans, parching droughts and acidifying seas.

But despite an intense lobbying campaign waged over the past 12 months, Australia unexpectedly ditched its bid at the last minute to hand hosting rights to Turkey.

"We are all not happy. And disappointed it's ended up like this," Papua New Guinea Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko told AFP after Australia announced it would back down.

Instead, Tkatchenko said Pacific islands were once again let down by the bureaucratic COP machinery.

"What has COP achieved over the years. Nothing," said the diplomat.

"It's just a talk fest and doesn't hold the big polluters accountable."

One of the South Pacific nations most immediately threatened by climate change is Tuvalu, a string of low-lying isles roughly halfway between Hawaii and Australia.

Rising sea levels have already largely swamped two of Tuvalu's nine coral atolls -- and scientists fear the entire archipelago could be unliveable by the end of the century.

Former Tuvalu prime minister Bikenibeu Paeniu told AFP that missing out on COP was a huge loss for the region.

"The Pacific countries should seriously remodel their relationship with Australia.

"What a miss, but the Pacific will continue its fight no matter what."

Samoan climate activist Suluafi Brianna Fruean said Pacific islands deserved the world's attention.

"As attention turns to Turkey, Pacific people still fight every day of the year to keep our islands safe."

Pacific island nations were almost universally enthusiastic about Australia's proposal, which promised to host events in beachside cities seldom visited by business bigwigs and global leaders.

- 'Frankly obscene' -

"Hosting COP31 is not just about symbolism. It is a test of fairness, balance, and integrity in the global climate process," said Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr earlier this year.

"Bringing COP to the Pacific would allow the world to see not just the crisis, but the real, local, and scalable solutions our islands are delivering."

Australia pulled the plug after Turkey, the other prospective host, refused to back down.

Despite enjoying overwhelming support, Australia could not get around UN rules that require such decisions are reached by consensus.

"Obviously, it would be great if Australia could have it all. But we can't have it all," said climate minister Chris Bowen from the sidelines of this year's COP summit in Brazil.

A highly unusual alternative was brokered instead: Turkey would host the 200-nation summit, but Australia would steer the marathon negotiations.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tried to paint this as a "big win", with a pre-COP meeting to focus on drumming up climate finance for Pacific nations.

But the state premier of South Australia, which would have hosted the brunt of next year's talks, derided the selection process as "frankly obscene".

F.Cha--SG