WWF OFFICES COME TOGETHER TO DRIVE GREATER CLIMATE AMBITION AT COP31

WWF-Australia, WWF-Pacific and WWF-Türkiye have come together to help connect the dots on the novel hosting solution for COP31 to drive greater climate ambition.

The announcement in Belém that Türkiye will host COP31 in November 2026, with Australia assuming the role of President of Negotiations and the Pacific hosting the leaders’ ‘Pre-COP’ meeting on financing resilience, will require innovative collaboration across geographies, sectors and a diverse range of stakeholders.

The Conference of the Parties (COP) is a crucial global gathering where nations come together to set ambitious targets and drive meaningful action to tackle the climate crisis. And 2026 will be a pivotal year.

WWF sees a huge opportunity for civil society in the Pacific, Australia and Türkiye to work together deliver a COP rooted in justice for those most affected by climate change.

As a global conservation organisation with local partners in all three regions, WWF is committed to helping broker collaborations and new partnerships to build on the momentum from COP30.

WWF-Australia’s Chief Regenerative Officer, Nicole Forrester said WWF offices in Australia, the Pacific and Türkiye were already collaborating to make COP31 a moment of real change.

“COP31 is an opportunity for Türkiye, Australia and the Pacific to put First Nations leadership at the heart of global climate action,” she said.

“Australia’s role as President of Negotiations provides a platform to drive an ambitious COP31 agenda rooted in justice for communities on the front line of climate change.”

WWF sees this agenda as one that:

• Centres First Nations and Pacific leadership in decision-making
• Replaces fossil fuels with abundant, affordable renewable energy 
• Embeds nature at the heart of climate action 
• Ensures inclusivity and grassroots participation are at the core of the summit.       

“At a time of increasing climate disasters and shifting geopolitics, the world needs to come together to drive the biggest energy transition in a century while building people and nature’s resilience to climate impacts,” said Ms Forrester.

WWF-Türkiye’s CEO, Omur Kula said COP31 will also be an opportunity for Türkiye to show true leadership in climate action.

“As WWF-Türkiye, we believe that this will be a critical opportunity for Türkiye as the hosting country to demonstrate its leadership in climate action. We believe that our country’s dedicated efforts and valuable work towards this goal will yield more effective and meaningful outcomes through:

• Ensuring meaningful civil society participation,
• Strengthening its NDC by adopting an absolute emissions reduction target,
• Ending all new coal investments and planning a just and equitable coal phase-out,
• Accelerating renewable energy investments in a manner that is fully compatible with nature,
• Enhancing adaptation policies to increase resilience to the impacts of climate change and swiftly implementing the necessary measures.”

WWF-Pacific’s Conservation Director, Alfred Ralifo said the ‘Pre-COP’ meeting would be a chance for the world to learn from Pacific leaders and deliver the transformative change that’s urgently needed.

“We must not lose focus on our shared goal to rally behind the Pacific’s leadership in holding the line at 1.5 degrees, the urgency for a just transition to phase out fossil fuels, and halt deforestation and exploitation of our oceans,” he said.

“This must go hand in hand with centring the leadership of Indigenous voices from Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific in shaping COP31 priorities and outcomes.

“As we embark on this collective voyage, we must pool our resources to create opportunities, spaces and platforms for the equitable inclusion and active participation of Indigenous leaders, traditional and local knowledge holders, women, youth and children from across the region in the lead-up to and during COP31 in Türkiye.”