Antalya, Türkiye (ANTARA) – Indonesia has joined the list of potential hosts for the 33rd Conference of the Parties (COP33) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, scheduled for November 2028, the Ministry of Environment has said.
Speaking at a media briefing on the sidelines of COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, on Saturday (Nov 14), the ministry’s Deputy for Climate Change Control and Carbon Economic Value Governance, Ary Sudijanto, said Indonesia had discussed the possibility of hosting the conference with China.
He said China had shelved its intention to bid for COP33 due to several considerations, including domestic political agendas.
In this regard, Sudijanto described hosting the 2028 conference as both a strategic opportunity and a challenge for Indonesia.
He emphasized the need to carefully assess Indonesia’s readiness to organize an international event of such magnitude, particularly as the country would be preparing to enter the 2029 election year.
Moreover, Indonesia, says Sudijanto, has to compete with several other Asian countries that have expressed interest in hosting the international climate forum, including South Korea and India.
“This will be challenging for us,” Sudijanto said, referring to the risks involved in hosting the conference.
Additionally, the ministry’s Director of Resource Mobilization for Climate Change Control, Irawan Asaad, highlighted the need for Indonesia to secure substantial logistical resources to successfully host the conference.
He stressed that hosting COP33 would require the capacity to accommodate around 100,000 delegates from around the world, including heads of state and government.
“Imagine having 100,000 people coming to your country. Let us say Indonesia is chosen and participants want to hold the event in Bali. In other words, we will have to accommodate 100,000 people from 168 countries,” Asaad said.
He added that failing to host the conference successfully could risk Indonesia’s international reputation.
Related news: Indonesia supports COP31 BRIDGE Initiative, urges flexible financing
Translator: Sanya Dinda, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Bayu Prasetyo
Copyright © ANTARA 2026