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Advocacy Brief: Roadmap to a High Integrity COP31

This briefing was developed through ongoing dialogue with Better Futures Australia members and shaped by insights shared at the March 2025 panel discussion, Roadmap to a Clean COP31: Strengthening COP Integrity and Leadership.

It draws on expert insights, global precedents, and real-economy leadership to inform a coordinated advocacy agenda for a transparent, inclusive and ambitious COP31.

An Oceania COP31 is a chance to reshape how climate summits work—not just what they say. A high-integrity COP31 must deliver stronger frameworks, greater trust, and tangible progress on climate action."

Executive Summary 

This briefing outlines advocacy priorities to help deliver a high-integrity COP, one that is transparent, inclusive, free from fossil fuel influence, and committed to ambitious climate outcomes, both within and outside the UNFCCC process.

COP31 is a critical opportunity for Australia and the Pacific Islands to lead a more transparent, equitable, and ambitious global climate negotiation process. Key proposals include an independent oversight group, fossil fuel advertising bans, transparent sponsorship policies, and Pacific-led decision-making. The legacy of COP31 must be long-lasting governance change and ambitious commitments to global decarbonisation.

Introduction

Australia and the Pacific Islands' bid to host COP31 in 2026 presents an opportunity to set a new standard in global climate diplomacy. To ensure this, the event would not only have to focus on managing the influence of high-emitting industries but also on creating a more transparent, inclusive, and effective COP process to be utilised going forward. 

To have a credible and impactful COP31, we must expand the conversation beyond issues of lobbying and corporate influence to include the full scope of governance, operational transparency, accessibility, and community engagement. A “Clean COP” is an inclusive event that can exist with legitimacy and substantially advance global decarbonisation through equitable and transparent participation. 

This brief outlines practical reforms and milestones, drawing from desktop research and insights from BFA's CAW SYD panel. It divides advocacy priorities into two workstreams: internal reforms to the UNFCCC and external reforms that are essential to a credible and ambitious COP.  These ideas are presented to guide aligned advocacy campaigns, engagement with government and the UNFCCC, and collaboration with other stakeholders across sectors.

1. UNFCCC Reform Priorities

1.1 Governance and Transparency

  • Transparency should be governed by the UNFCCC, not the presidency, to ensure consistency and impartiality each year.
  • Create a public, centralised, and comprehensive list of attendees that is controlled and managed by the UNFCCC. It should clearly disclose:
    • Full name and organisation attendee represents
    • Any affiliation and/ or potential conflicts of interest of attendees.
    • Attendees’ level of access to the event, i.e. badge colour.
  • Develop a formal accountability framework informed by the WHO’s FENSA model and the Transition Plan Taskforce at COP26 to monitor the participants in COP events.
    • The WHO FENSA could serve as a guide for how to manage non-state actors' participation, including equitable ways to restrict harmful lobbying and ensure beneficial corporate participation in negotiation.

1.2 Accessibility and Affordability 

  • While funding is present for accommodation and travel, more needs to be given to underrepresented and marginalised groups to ensure their presence at COP.
  • Hybrid models, including virtual participation and financial assistance programs, should be expanded to enable broader engagement. 
  • The right to protest is a vital part of any COP event, and it has not always been respected, as it gives voice to those excluded from the negotiation room.
  • Ensure equitable badge access to all groups and people along all levels of the decision-making process to guarantee impactful and practical outcomes from negotiation.

2. COP Presidency Priorities

2.1 Community Engagement and Inclusion

  • Prioritise First Nations and Pacific Island communities as active participants, not just observers.
    • These communities are disproportionately affected by climate change, being some of the first communities to feel its effects and have the opportunity to offer vital insight and innovative ideas.
  • To ensure representative participation, there needs to be greater knowledge of COP events across marginalised communities.
    • Raising awareness and engagement through civil society is essential, with an emphasis on educational initiatives and community-driven advocacy. This will hopefully build off the work done at COP29 to strengthen indigenous voices in climate negotiations.

2.2 Limiting Fossil Fuel Interest

  • A cleaner COP31 should actively work to limit fossil fuel industry sponsorship and restrict fossil fuel-related advertising in the event and surrounding cities.
  • The City of Sydney's ban on fossil fuel ads on its assets offers a promising model for other potential host cities and the conference as a whole to follow.
  • Develop clear criteria to assess industry presence, including sponsorship and promotional activities in the host city.

2.3 Pacific-Led Advocacy and Governance

  • Build on the work done with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to give Pacific Islands greater advocacy power within COP.
  • Empower Pacific nations to shape the agenda and outcomes with mechanisms to sustain their leadership internationally post-COP.

3. Outcomes and Legacy Goals

  • COP31 must deliver ambitious, enforceable commitments to phase out fossil fuels.
  • Reforms must institutionalise transparency and inclusivity across future COPs.
  • The summit’s success should be judged not only by its announcements but also by the systems it leaves in place.

Conclusion

COP31 represents an opportunity to reframe the way climate conferences operate, ensuring that they are not just about negotiations but about action—on the ground, in the real world, and long after the conference has concluded. Through collaborative effort and a focus on transparency, community engagement, accessibility, and ambition, Australia and the Pacific can co-host a COP31 that delivers meaningful climate action, establishes strong governance frameworks, and leaves a legacy of accountability.

To ensure COP31 is not a missed opportunity, all stakeholders must engage in the process to shape a conference that not only sets ambitious goals but also creates tangible pathways for global climate action beyond the event. By focusing on both the process and the outcomes, we can ensure that COP31 is a turning point in the global fight against climate change.

A huge thank you to Better Futures Australia intern Fergus Bolton for producing this briefing.

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