China Mulls Bid to Host 2028 UN Climate Talks

China is considering a bid to host the 2028 United Nations climate summit, or COP33, as Beijing seeks to strengthen its position as a global leader in addressing climate change, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Two sources said China has not yet made a final decision on whether to submit a bid, and there is no clear timeline for a decision. The host country does not have to be selected this year.

The 2028 summit is scheduled to be hosted by a country from the Asia-Pacific region. COP31 will be held in Türkiye this year, followed by COP32 in Ethiopia in 2027.

India withdrew its offer to host COP33 in April without giving a reason, while South Korea has previously expressed interest in hosting the summit.

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) secretariat said it had not yet received a nomination from the Asia-Pacific Regional Group.

The regional groups first consult among themselves to determine which country will offer to host the summit. Once an agreement is reached, the regional group’s chair formally submits the nomination to the UNFCCC secretariat.

China has increasingly positioned itself as a major counterweight to the United States on climate policy. Hosting COP33 could provide Beijing with an opportunity to strengthen its climate credentials, particularly as Washington under President Donald Trump has again withdrawn from the Paris Agreement and promoted fossil fuel development.

China, the world’s second-largest economy, is also the leading exporter of several green technologies, including solar panels, electric vehicles, wind turbines and batteries.

However, hosting the summit could also draw greater attention to China’s own emissions. The country is the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, ahead of the United States, India and the European Union.

China has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060 and aims to cut economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 7–10% from peak levels by 2035.

The US-China relationship could also influence Beijing’s decision, with one source saying the dynamics between the two countries are among the factors under consideration.

Climate cooperation was a key element of US-China relations under former presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama. A COP33 summit could potentially create opportunities for renewed cooperation if a Democrat wins the 2028 US presidential election.

The summit would likely take place shortly after the US presidential election.

Climate policy expert Alden Meyer of E3G said the US-China relationship has historically been a source of both progress and tension in international climate negotiations and is likely to remain challenging regardless of the outcome of the 2028 election.