World leaders meet for climate talks, big names missing
Published: 03:11 PM,Nov 12,2024 | EDITED : 07:11 PM,Nov 12,2024
Britain's PM Keir Starmer attends the climate change conference COP29 in Baku. — Reuters
BAKU: Dozens of world leaders convene in Azerbaijan on Tuesday for COP29 but many big names are skipping the UN climate talks where the impact of Donald Trump's election victory is keenly felt. More than 75 leaders are expected in Baku over two days but the heads of some of the most powerful and polluting economies are not attending this year's summit.
Just a handful of leaders from the G20 -- which accounts for nearly 80 per cent of planet-heating greenhouse gas emissions -- are expected in Baku, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The British leader will unveil an 'ambitious' update to the UK's climate goals, and said he wanted his country 'to show leadership on the climate challenge.'
Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi and Emmanuel Macron are among G20 leaders missing the event, where uncertainty over future US unity on climate action hung over the opening day. 'It's not an ideal situation,' acknowledged Steven Guilbeault, Canada's environment minister. 'But in 30 years of COP, it's not the first time that we've faced obstacles,' he said. 'Certainly, everything is still possible.' Washington's top climate envoy John Podesta is seeking to reassure countries in Baku that Trump's re-election will not end US efforts on global warming, even if the issue will be 'on the back burner'.
The host of the UN climate summit in Azerbaijan on Tuesday defended fossil fuels and the right of countries to exploit them as dozens of world leaders arrived for the COP29 conference. In the opening address, President Ilham Aliyev said Azerbaijan had been subject to 'slander and blackmail' for its use of fossil fuels and that no country should be judged for its natural resources. 'Quote me that I said that this is a gift of the God, and I want to repeat it today here at this audience,' Aliyev told delegates. 'Oil, gas, wind, sun, gold, silver, copper, all... are natural resources and countries should not be blamed for having them and should not be blamed for bringing these resources to the market, because the market needs them.' The remarks were slammed by environmental groups. The meeting's top priority is landing a hard-fought deal to boost funding for climate action in developing countries. — AFP
Just a handful of leaders from the G20 -- which accounts for nearly 80 per cent of planet-heating greenhouse gas emissions -- are expected in Baku, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The British leader will unveil an 'ambitious' update to the UK's climate goals, and said he wanted his country 'to show leadership on the climate challenge.'
Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi and Emmanuel Macron are among G20 leaders missing the event, where uncertainty over future US unity on climate action hung over the opening day. 'It's not an ideal situation,' acknowledged Steven Guilbeault, Canada's environment minister. 'But in 30 years of COP, it's not the first time that we've faced obstacles,' he said. 'Certainly, everything is still possible.' Washington's top climate envoy John Podesta is seeking to reassure countries in Baku that Trump's re-election will not end US efforts on global warming, even if the issue will be 'on the back burner'.
The host of the UN climate summit in Azerbaijan on Tuesday defended fossil fuels and the right of countries to exploit them as dozens of world leaders arrived for the COP29 conference. In the opening address, President Ilham Aliyev said Azerbaijan had been subject to 'slander and blackmail' for its use of fossil fuels and that no country should be judged for its natural resources. 'Quote me that I said that this is a gift of the God, and I want to repeat it today here at this audience,' Aliyev told delegates. 'Oil, gas, wind, sun, gold, silver, copper, all... are natural resources and countries should not be blamed for having them and should not be blamed for bringing these resources to the market, because the market needs them.' The remarks were slammed by environmental groups. The meeting's top priority is landing a hard-fought deal to boost funding for climate action in developing countries. — AFP