South Australia Puts More Than $8 Million of Taxpayer Money Towards UN Climate Summit

South Australia is aiming for 100 percent net renewables by 2027.

Wind turbines seen at sunset in Albany, Western Australia, on Oct. 8, 2024. Susan Mortimer/The Epoch Times

The South Australian (SA) Labor government will spend millions of dollars preparing for the COP31 climate change conference in 2026.

In the 2025–26 state budget, to be delivered on June 5, $8.3 million (US$5.4 million) will go towards preparing Adelaide to host COP31.

This funding will include early works for the event, including “significant planning” for security, transport, and infrastructure.

“The Commonwealth government has selected Adelaide as its preferred city to host the U.N. event, should Australia’s national bid for the conference be successful,” the government said.

A feasibility analysis confirmed Adelaide has the capacity and capability to play host to the event, according to the state government.

It found that the event could deliver $511.6 million worth of benefits to the state.

“This includes economic activity generated by tourism, trade and investment as well as improvement to the brand of Adelaide and South Australia worldwide,” the SA government said.

“The South Australian Business Chamber has advocated for Adelaide to host the COP, pointing out it would boost the economy and further cement the state’s credentials as a world leader in renewable energy, enhancing Adelaide and South Australia’s global image.”

SA Deputy Premier Susan Close said COP would allow the state to demonstrate to the world how they are addressing climate change via continued leadership in renewable energy technology.

“With so many South Australian businesses working in the renewable energy space, it will provide an unprecedented opportunity for them to showcase their technology and know-how to global leaders,” she said.

Treasurer Stephen Mulligan added, “Hosting COP would be a chance to promote SA on a global scale, unlike anything we’ve ever experienced.”

The state government is pushing for 100 percent net renewables in 2027 and claims 75 percent of the state’s energy already comes from renewable sources.

Host Nation for COP31 Yet to Be Decided

The 31st U.N. Climate Change Conference is set to take place in November 2026. A decision on the winning bid for the global climate event is due to be made in 2025, with Turkey the other country in the bidding race.

Sydney, Perth, and Brisbane have all shown interest in holding COP31. However, only SA launched a formal bid.

During the election campaign, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese touted Adelaide as his preferred destination for the COP31 if Australia wins the hosting rights for the conference against Turkey.

“We haven’t won the bid, but if the bid is successful, then my choice is we’ll be having it right here in Adelaide,” he said at the time.

Albanese said the conference would put Adelaide on the map as a global city and showcase the beautiful city to the entire world.

“The fact is that holding a COP, a climate change conference, internationally produces revenue as well. It’s an economic boost for wherever it’s held,” he said.

This year’s COP30 will be held in Brazil in November.

Federal Liberal Senator Pushes to Dump Net Zero

Despite the push from Labor to host the U.N. Climate Change conference, Federal Liberal SA Senator Alex Antic has a completely different view.

Antic called for net zero to be dumped following the federal election and said he didn’t have time for the concept.

“I think it’s completely flawed, I think it’s detrimental to our country, and it’s detrimental to our sovereign interests. And it doesn’t make any sense apart from anything else,” he said. 

“I think the only way this party is going to appeal to the electorate is to dump net zero. We have to do it.”

The SA Liberal State Council recently backed a motion calling on the federal parliamentary party to dump net zero.

Policy decisions agreed to at the State Council, a body of 250 delegates from the SA Liberal Party, are not binding for the state and federal parliamentary teams.

SA Liberal leader Vincent Tarzia told reporters in Adelaide on June 2 that the South Australian parliamentary party “remain committed to our 2050 targets.”

Meanwhile, energy demand and electricity prices in South Australia continue to go up.

SA’s wholesale electricity prices soared by 20 percent in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the prior corresponding period in 2024.

“Wholesale spot prices in South Australia averaged $66/megawatt-hour (MWh) across the quarter, up $11/MWh (+20 percent) from those in Q1 2024,” a recent report (pdf) from the Australian Energy Market Operator shows.