Ethiopia was chosen as the host country for the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference COP32, which will be held in 2027.
The decision was announced during the COP30 that has been taking place for a few days in the Brazilian city of Belém, “The Gateway to the Amazon”.
The event will be held in the capital of the African nation, Addis Ababa.
Despite the agreement regarding Ethiopia, the decision highlights the lack of answers about its predecessor, the COP31 of 2026.
Currently, the debate continues over the summit’s venue for the coming year, with tensions between Australia and Turkey.
Unanimous support from the African bloc for COP32 in Ethiopia
Ethiopia, which was competing for the COP32 venue with Nigeria, received unanimous support from the African countries group this Tuesday.
This bloc had the regional turn responsibility to designate the next host of the climate conference.
The decision still needs to be formally adopted by all member countries of the Framework Convention before the closure of COP30.
However, it is expected that by the next November 21, when the event in Brazil ends, this will be easily confirmed.
COP32, an opportunity to highlight Africa
Upon learning that Ethiopia will host COP32 in 2027, the environmental advocacy organization 350.org applauded the decision.
The NGO highlighted that the designation represents a unique opportunity to “highlight” the continent’s priorities.
The choice will also allow showcasing Africa’s climate leadership at a crucial moment for international negotiations on climate change.
Rukiya Khamis, the NGO’s representative in the African continent, expressed satisfaction with Ethiopia’s selection as the venue.
However, Khamis made an urgent call to resolve the situation of COP31, scheduled for 2026.
Today, the lack of definition regarding next year’s venue is causing concern in the international community.
“The world cannot afford to use climate diplomacy as a political bargaining chip,” warned the environmental activist.
“We urge all parties to resolve the COP31 deadlock to prevent undermining momentum at a crucial time for climate action,” she stated firmly.
The unresolved dispute between Australia and Turkey for COP31
The 2026 climate conference corresponds to the Western Europe and other States bloc, according to the regional rotation system.
However, a consensus on the host country has not yet been reached.
Australia wishes to host it in the city of Adelaide, along with the Pacific countries.
In contrast, Turkey maintains its candidacy to hold the summit in Antalya.
This dispute has created a blockage within the regional group, which could not be resolved even within the framework of COP30 in Belém.
Despite this, if no agreement is reached in Belém before November 21, there is a contingency plan.
If Turkey and Australia do not agree, the next climate summit will be held by default in Bonn.
This German city hosts the headquarters of the UN Climate Secretariat, making it the “base” venue.
However, a situation of lack of agreement would be unprecedented and would reflect the level of diplomatic tension in international climate change negotiations.
It is worth remembering that the UN climate conferences are organized by rotation among five established regional blocs.
This system aims to ensure equitable representation of all regions of the planet.
This year, Brazil is hosting COP30 on behalf of Latin America and the Caribbean, with Belém as the focus for being the city that opens the doors to the Amazon.
