# Coal hosts clash with climate summit role

> Australia and Turkey face criticism for expanding fossil fuels while leading UN climate talks in Antalya next month.
- Title: Coal hosts clash with climate summit role · the Guardian
- Summary: Australia and Turkey face criticism for expanding fossil fuels while leading UN climate talks in Antalya next month. Australia and Turkey, hosting the Cop31…
- Keywords: cop31, australia, turkey, coal, fossil fuels, climate conference, antalya, 350.org, chris bowen, anthony albanese, news, politics
- Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/environment/2026/oct/05/australia-and-turkey-criticised-for-hosting-un-climate-conference-while-embracing-coal
- Published: 2026-10-04T14:00:32+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: cop31, australia, turkey, coal, fossil fuels, climate conference, antalya, 350.org, chris bowen, anthony albanese, news, politics
## Two coal exporters host climate talks
Turkey and Australia are hosting Cop31, the UN climate summit, in the Turkish Mediterranean city of Antalya next month. The fortnight-long talks will run both countries.
## Activists say hosts ignore fossil fuels
Campaign groups accuse the two countries of a vacuum of action on plans to transition away from coal, gas and oil, a key goal for many nations at the talks.
## Preparatory meeting in Pacific this week
Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese will join representatives from more than fifty countries for a preparatory meeting in Fiji and Tuvalu. Few leaders from outside the region accepted.
## Australia approves major coalmine expansion
New South Wales approved the largest coalmine expansion in the state's history. The Hunter Valley Operations thermal coalmine extension could lead to eight hundred nine million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.
## Coal trade between hosts fuels emissions
Campaign group three fifty point org cited UN data showing coal supplies from Australia to Turkey caused more than seventy five million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions since the Paris agreement in two thousand fifteen.
## Summit letters ignore fossil fuels entirely
Three letters from Cop31 presidents setting out the summit's mission did not mention fossil fuels. Australian prime minister Albanese also omitted fossil fuels from a keynote speech at Climate Week in New York.
## Activists call for coal phase-out dates
Andreas Sieber, three fifty point org's head of political strategy, said both countries should announce coal phase-out dates and follow Brazil's example by developing roadmaps to accelerate transition away from dirty fuels.

> Amidst the biggest energy crisis in history, it is extraordinary that the Cop31 presidency continues to ignore the central issue of fossil fuels.
## Australia exports coal and liquified gas
Australia remains one of the world's biggest exporters of coal and liquified natural gas, with shipments this year expected to be worth more than one hundred forty billion Australian dollars.
## Turkey plans to expand coal and gas
Turkey is Europe's biggest coal-power generator and has signalled it could expand its coal and gas power capacity by about thirty percent by two thousand thirty five.
## Bowen defends Australia's fossil fuel exports
Australian climate change minister Chris Bowen told the Guardian that Australia could impact global emissions by becoming a renewable energy exporter. Trading partners pursue their own energy transitions, he said.

> Our trading partners are pursuing their own energy transitions. We want to help them do that, so we remain a reliable trading nation.
## Pacific nations warn of wrong signal
Vanuatu's climate change minister Ralph Regenvanu said it would be deeply disappointing for Pacific countries if Australia extended the life of a major coalmine while leading Cop31 negotiations.

> This decision sends the wrong signal at a critical time.
## Key takeaway

Australia and Turkey, hosting the Cop31 climate summit, are criticised for expanding coal and gas exports while largely ignoring fossil fuels in pre-summit messaging.