Canberra, Nov 6 (IANS): The Australian government has announced it will bid to co-host the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference in 2026 with Pacific nations.
Chris Bowen, minister for Climate Change and Energy, recently said the government has decided against bidding to host the 29th session of the Conference of Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2024, and will instead focus on 2026, Xinhua news agency reported.
"Our delegation at COP27 and our COP31 bid will go a long way to help drive Australia's economic transformation to a net-zero economy, and strengthen green trade partnerships and secure jobs for Australian workers," he said in a media release on Saturday.
He said the upcoming COP27, slated for November 6-18 in Egypt, is an opportunity to showcase Australia's renewed climate leadership, "as we demonstrate our potential as a renewable energy superpower."
The announcement has been welcomed by environmentalists.
Dermot O'Gorman from the World Wide Fund For Nature said hosting COP31 would "revive" Australia's reputation on climate issues.
"This is an Olympic moment -- a huge opportunity to host a nation-building global event," he told the Australian Associated Press.
At the COP27 in Egypt, Australia's delegation will demonstrate the government's commitment to action on climate change, according to Bowen.