Australia’s Climate Minister Chris Bowen launched a last-ditch blitz Monday to host next year’s UN climate summit, saying his country was “fighting hard” to beat a rival bid from Turkey.

The hosting feud between the two nations has loomed over the COP30 conference in Brazil, where Bowen arrived Monday to try and break the deadlock in the final days of the gathering.

“We’re fighting hard,” Bowen told AFP after promoting Australia’s bid in a public event directly next to Turkey’s national pavilion, where he spoke about “winning that COP31 contest this week.”

“We don’t know how it’ll go. But we’re in it to win it.”

Turkey and Australia both want to host the 31st Conference of the Parties, but under United Nations rules a winner can only be chosen by consensus — meaning unless one withdraw

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