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Adelaide will not be the venue for next year’s COP climate summit, as the federal government has been unable to resolve its impasse with Turkey, the competing bidder.
Australian officials have acknowledged to 9News that the COP31 summit will not take place in the South Australian capital as initially hoped.
According to 9News, discussions are ongoing to involve Pacific nations in some capacity, but Turkey is likely to be named as the host.
Had it taken place in Adelaide, the conference would have attracted approximately 50,000 delegates for a fortnight of meetings and seminars.
The federal and state governments had already invested millions in anticipation of the event, including the formation of a specialized police unit to ensure security.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said this afternoon that Australia will still be involved regardless of where the event lands.
“We are trying to get the best outcome here for the planet and for the global economy and regardless of where it is held, we will continue to play a leadership role in that,” he said.
COP31 was predicted to cost Australia more than $1 billion, but would have brought South Australia close to half of that in economic revenue.
It’s unclear whether the millions already spent can be used for another major event in Adelaide.