Australia is the co-president of COP31 climate talks in Turkey, but that’s not why hundreds of people are queuing in front of its pavilion.
Grace Vegesana, the 27-year-old national director of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, killed time by speaking with Yahoo News as she waited 45 minutes for a coffee.
Australia has become world-famous for providing the best coffee at the annual United Nations event, and overnight pictures show the queue’s incredible length.
“The coffee queue wraps beyond the [Australian] pavilion bounds and almost goes into the next two pavilions,” Vegesana said.
Coffee diplomacy worth the $32,000 cost
According to data dug up by the Liberal Party, the cost of providing free coffee to attendees is around $32,000 to the Australian government.
But most attendees, including the former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, agree it’s “one of the smartest things”, and it attracts an estimated 100,000 people a year.
Grace Vegesana was happy to wait 45 minutes for a coffee from the Australian stand. Source: Grace Vegesana/Nicky Hutley
The incredible coffee queue at the Australian pavilion at COP31. Source: Grace Vegesana
Officially, Australia is often viewed negatively because it is one of the world’s biggest exporters of fossil fuels.
But on the positive side, it also has a reputation for bringing people together through coffee.
Outside of the negotiating room, attendees queuing for a morning brew are free to talk more candidly and openly about the climate crisis.
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Aussie coffee more popular than host nation’s tea
A photo taken last year in Brazil at COP30 showed the Turkish and Australian pavilions awkwardly positioned side by side.
Both nations were campaigning to host COP31, and because it didn’t have the numbers, Australia was ultimately relegated to co-president instead.
Fewer attendees were queuing for tea at the Turkish pavilion. Source: Supplied
While Turkey has the official glory of being the host nation, Australia has won the beverage war, as there were clearly fewer attendees lining up for a tea at its stand.
And this year, the two nations are on friendly terms, and the pavilions are placed opposite each other.
Both the Turkish and Australian pavilions are popular, but coffee diplomacy is definitely giving one the edge. Source: Supplied
Aussie coffee a cure for homesickness
Nicki Hutley, the lead economist at the independent Climate Council, said Australia has a “front and centre” position at the Antalya Expo Centre.
“We have a big space, and everyone is coming for the coffee,” she said.
While she’s been enjoying Turkish coffee on the streets of Antalya, being able to grab an Australian coffee inside is a good cure for homesickness.
“As you line up, there’s always camaraderie in the queue,” Hutley said.
“And it provides a good and a chance for some conversations.”
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