COP31 Hosts Urged to Lead by Example on Fossil Fuels

Sunday, June 14, 2026

Nearly 100 campaign groups have urged Turkey and Australia, co-hosts of the upcoming COP31 climate summit, to take urgent steps to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels by halting new coal projects and creating clear phase-out plans. This call to action highlights the critical need for concrete domestic policies to address the climate crisis amid rising global energy prices and the geopolitical tensions affecting supply stability.

Nearly 100 campaign groups have called on the co-hosts of the upcoming COP31 climate summit, Turkey and Australia, to take decisive action on their dependence on fossil fuels. The United Nations climate talks are scheduled to begin on November 9 in Antalya, Turkey, with Australia overseeing the formal negotiations—a rare arrangement following a joint bid to host the event.

The summit is being organized against the backdrop of a regional conflict in the Middle East that has driven up global energy and commodity prices, underscoring the risks faced by economies dependent on fossil fuel imports. Both Turkey and Australia have promoted renewable energy as a means to enhance energy security amidst volatile supplies.

However, in an open letter addressed to COP31 President Murat Kurum and negotiations chief Chris Bowen, 94 non-governmental organizations urged the host countries to confront the “number one cause of the climate crisis”—the burning of coal, oil, and gas. The letter emphasized that actions to reduce fossil fuel use should commence domestically, calling on Turkey to immediately halt new coal-fired power plant investments and establish a clear timeline for the energy source’s phase-out.

For Australia, a leading exporter of fossil fuels and a country heavily reliant on coal for electricity generation, the letter recommended the development of a national strategy to transition away from coal and gas, including ending approvals for new fossil fuel projects. Both Turkey and Australia have set targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and invest in renewable energy but have yet to publicly outline comprehensive plans detailing how they will reduce fossil fuel dependence.

Tanyeli Behic Sabuncu of WWF Turkey described the phase-out of fossil fuels not simply as an emissions target but as essential for ensuring a livable planet while securing reliable energy for consumers and businesses.

The letter was released as thousands of climate negotiators convened in Bonn, Germany, to prepare draft texts and narrow differences ahead of the November conference. The outcomes of these discussions are expected to shape the agenda for COP31’s formal sessions where global leaders will seek agreements to address the accelerating climate crisis.