In a decision that quietly reshapes who may lead the world's climate conversation, China has chosen not to host the 2028 UN climate summit, Cop33, leaving the honour open to other Asian nations. The choice arrives at a moment when the United States has stepped away from international climate cooperation altogether, and many had hoped the world's largest emitter would fill that silence. Its reasons remain unspoken, though some observers trace them to the shadow of the American election calendar and a reluctance to be seen filling a void Washington has left behind. The world is left to wait on w
China Rules Out Hosting Cop33 Climate Summit in 2028, Leaving Asian Rivals to Bid
As a leadership story, China hosting Cop33 would have been a big deal.
Mark
Why does it matter who hosts a summit that's two years away?
Mimi
Because the host sets the tone. People hoped China, as the biggest emitter, would take the lead while the US has walked away from climate cooperation.
Luke
Careful, though. This is the Guardian's understanding. China hasn't announced anything in what we've been given.
Mark
And the reason?
Mimi
Unclear. Experts pointed to the US calendar: the election is 7 November 2028 and Cop33 starts on 6 November.
Luke
That's speculation from experts, not China's stated reason. Worth keeping separate.
Mark
What's at stake at Cop33 itself?
Mimi
The global stocktake under the Paris agreement, measuring progress toward 1.5C, a limit now certain to be passed.
Mark
So who's left?
Mimi
India looked at it and declined. Uzbekistan, South Korea, Indonesia and Thailand are reportedly considering bids.
Luke
And "considering" is all we know. No formal bids are described, and no decision is expected at Cop31 in Turkey.
The Pulse
- China has quietly declined to host the 2028 UN climate summit, sending ripples of disappointment through governments that had counted on it to lead.
- The United States under Trump is withdrawing from the Paris agreement and the wider UN climate framework, leaving a leadership vacuum that many hoped Beijing would fill.
- Experts are puzzling over China's silence, with the US election calendar and caution about stepping into America's place emerging as the most likely explanations.
- Uzbekistan, South Korea, Indonesia and Thailand are reportedly weighing bids, while no host decision is expected at Cop31 in Turkey, so the search continues without a clear answer.
In a decision that quietly reshapes who may lead the world's climate conversation, China has chosen not to host the 2028 UN climate summit, Cop33, leaving the honour open to other Asian nations. The choice arrives at a moment when the United States has stepped away from international climate cooperation altogether, and many had hoped the world's largest emitter would fill that silence. Its reasons remain unspoken, though some observers trace them to the shadow of the American election calendar and a reluctance to be seen filling a void Washington has left behind. The world is left to wait on whether another Asian country will answer the call.
China has decided not to host the 2028 UN climate summit, Cop33, according to the Guardian's understanding. After months of internal deliberation, the decision opens the hosting role to other Asian countries and disappoints many who hoped the world's biggest emitter would step forward at a time of retreat from the global climate effort.
The disappointment is sharpened by Washington. The Trump administration has rejected climate science, pulled the United States out of the Paris agreement and is now also leaving the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Al Gore said he would have strongly favoured a Chinese host. "It's too bad," he said.
The case for China rested on its transformation at home. Renewable capacity has overtaken coal, emissions appear to have dipped slightly this year, and electric vehicles made up nearly two-thirds of car sales last month. Clean energy drove more than 90% of investment growth last year. China has not explained its decision. Experts point to the US election on 7 November 2028, one week before Cop33 begins, as a possible factor, and to Beijing's wariness of filling the gap America has left.
The summit's agenda remains heavy. It will host the global stocktake, which assesses progress under the Paris agreement, at a time when the 1.5C limit is almost certain to be breached. Attention is turning to limiting the overshoot. UN rules mean an Asian country should host. India considered a bid but declined, and Uzbekistan, South Korea, Indonesia and Thailand are among those now considering it. No decision is expected at Cop31 in Turkey.
China has decided not to host the Cop33 UN climate summit in 2028, according to the Guardian's understanding, ending months of internal deliberation. The decision leaves the hosting role open to other Asian countries, and it will disappoint governments and climate experts who had hoped the world's biggest emitter would step forward.
The disappointment has a particular source. The United States under Donald Trump has pulled out of every form of international climate cooperation. Trump rejects climate science and withdrew the US from the Paris agreement. He is now also withdrawing from its parent treaty, the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Al Gore, the former US vice-president, told the Guardian he would have strongly favoured China hosting. "It's too bad," he said.
The case for China rested on what is happening inside the country. It is moving from heavy dependence on coal toward what some describe as an "electro state." Renewable generation capacity has now overtaken coal there, and its greenhouse gas emissions appear to have dipped slightly this year. Electric vehicles made up nearly two-thirds of car sales last month. Clean energy industries accounted for more than 90% of the country's investment growth last year. John Kerry, the former US secretary of state, told the Guardian that China is leaving the rest of the world behind in building and using the low-carbon technologies of the future.
Gareth Redmond-King, international lead at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit thinktank, said China's industrial weight would have made it a formidable contender. In his words, it would be significant for the biggest emitter and second-biggest economy to host a climate Cop, and as a leadership story it would have been a big deal, given its lead in investment, manufacturing and deployment of clean energy technology.
China has not explained its choice, and the reasons remain unclear. Several experts who spoke to the Guardian pointed to the US electoral calendar as a likely factor. The next US presidential election falls on 7 November 2028, and Cop33 is scheduled for 6 to 17 November that year. Democrats did well in the recent midterms, where voter concern about the climate crisis was thought to have played a part, and they will hope to win the presidency in 2028. Even so, Trump would remain in office until the following January. China wants to be seen as a leader among developing countries but has been wary of filling the gap the US has left. Under Barack Obama and Joe Biden, the two countries worked closely on climate, setting joint targets on methane and developing clean technology.
The summit matters because it will include the "global stocktake," a mechanism under the 2015 Paris agreement that assesses countries' progress on cutting emissions in line with the goal of limiting warming to 1.5C. That limit is now certain to be breached. Experts say the focus should shift to minimising the temperature overshoot to avoid worse extreme weather.
UN rules mean an Asian country should host in 2028. India's government weighed offering for several months earlier this year but also decided against it. Its coal use has been rising even as it exceeds its own renewable energy targets. The Guardian understands that Uzbekistan, South Korea, Indonesia and Thailand are among those considering bids.
No host is likely to be chosen at this year's Cop31, which is under way in Turkey and jointly presided over by the Turkish and Australian governments.
Notable Quotes
I would be very much in favour of that idea. It's too bad.— Al Gore, former US vice-president
China is leaving the rest of the world behind in forging and using the low-carbon technologies of the future.— John Kerry, former US secretary of state (paraphrased)
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