Australia and Turkey locked in death spiral over who will host UN climate change conference

Echoes of the Great War.

Of all the current conflicts in the world, the one nobody saw reigniting is the fiery standoff betwixt Australia and Turkey. But who, here, could ever forget the Gallipoli Campaign of the first World War wherein the Entente powers attempted to strike a death blow against the Ottoman Empire by taking control of the Turkish Straits thereby cutting capital Constantinople off from Asia and rendering it neutered?

Britain, France and Russia, you see, had little respect for the decrepit old caliphate and thought that it could all be done fairly easily. Well, the trio did not account for the spicy Ottoman commander Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, or a bunch of other factors, and lost the eight month affair. Over 250,000 troops were lost by each side, including some 8,700 Australians and New Zealanders. The tragedy, in any case, is considered to be the awakening of Australian and New Zealand national consciousness as well as the seed that would grow into modern Turkey.

But now, and again, Australia and Turkey are back at each other’s throats. At issue this time around, is who will host next year’s COP31, the United Nations annual climate change conference. This year, the nations are gathered in Brazil where saving the rainforest is at the top of agenda. Next year, Australia felt very strong about its position and pushing a “save the Pacific” line.

Gavan McFadzean of the Australian Conservation Foundation told the BBC, “There was a fair bit of complacency early on in the process. [There was] an assumption that an Australian/Pacific joint presidential bid would just sail through.”

Like in Gallipoli of old, though, the Turks have surprised with pluck and verve and are not bending, with some in that camp whispering Australia does not deserve to host because it is the largest exporter of dirty old coal in the world.

If the two proud nations cannot sort of differences, the German city of Bonn will become host and that will be that.

What are your strong feelings on the matter?

Team Southern Cross or Team Crescent and Star?