At a press conference, the PM was asked for an update on Australia’s bid to host COP31 in 2026.
Currently it is just Australia and Turkey who are in contention to host the event, which would see tens of thousands of government leaders and officials as well as high-level representatives from across the global business and industrial landscape gather in whichever country is selected as host.
Australia’s bid is in collaboration with the Pacific islands.
“We do have the bid in, it will be determined at the climate change conference later this year, if we are re-elected,” said Albanese.
“I can’t think of anywhere better than Adelaide to host that event,” he said moments later, citing Adelaide’s healthy major events calendar as proof that the state’s Premier Peter Malinauskas “is putting Adelaide on the map as a global city”.
“One of the things that a climate change conference would do is showcase this beautiful city of Adelaide to the entire world.
“And when you look at the work that the Premier’s doing in renewables, leading Australia as South Australia has for a long period of time, then I can’t think of anywhere better than South Australia.
“A bit like the election, we’re not getting ahead of ourselves, we haven’t won the bid, but if the bid is successful, then my choice will be having it right here in Adelaide,” said Albanese.
Malinauskas, who was also at the press conference where Albanese aired his endorsement, appeared to be receiving the backing for the first time.
“I am very grateful for that news indeed,” he said, when invited to speak directly following the PM’s supportive statements.
Malinauskas flagged South Australia’s renewables track record and the state’s role as host of the AFL Gather Round over the weekend as reasons why it would be a good host for COP.
South Australia currently gets 80 per cent of its energy from renewable sources and expects to reach 100 per cent by the end of 2027.
During this last weekend, more than 10,000 hotel rooms were booked on average each night across metropolitan Adelaide with the AFL playing every match of the weekend’s round in South Australia as part of its Gather Round.
“We have demonstrated that we are capable of hosting not just events but massive events and there is no bigger event on the planet, outside of the Olympics, than COP,” said Malinauskas.
“For us to be able to have the opportunity to host it here in South Australia is something that we are very excited about indeed – it is a major economic opportunity for our state, it gives us a chance to showcase not just to the rest of the country but to the rest of the world that thoughtful transition around energy is actually an economic opportunity more than anything else,” he said.
Australia’s bid to host COP is also contingent on the outcome of the federal election on May 3, with Australia’s Opposition leader, Peter Dutton, saying earlier in the election campaign that his party did not support Australia hosting COP, calling it “madness”.
