Between political quarrels, internal problems and a “loss of confidence”, many heads of state or government will not attend the climate summit in Baku.
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Next Monday, world leaders, negotiators, lobbyists and NGOs will gather in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan, for COP29.
The United Nations climate conference has been described as “Financial COP“, as countries must set a new global target for climate finance this year. Ahead of COP30 in Brazil next year, they should also present strong national climate commitments .
More than 100 heads of state and government have confirmed their participation, according to United Nations sources.
However, a number of world leaders and government officials have already indicated that they will not travel to Baku. So, who will be conspicuous by their absence and why?
European Union
In recent weeks, several European leaders have announced that they will not participate in COP29.
A spokesperson confirmed to Euronews earlier this week that the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyenwould not be present. As the Commission is in a transition phase, it “will focus on its institutional functions“. Ursula von der Leyen's second term officially begins on December 1.
The EU will be represented by the President of the European Council, Charles Michelthe Dutch candidate for the climate, carbon neutrality and clean growth portfolio, Wopke Hoekstraand the energy commissioner, Kadri Samson.
The French president Emmanuel Macron will also not participate in the climate summit. Relations between France and the host country have been tense since last year, when Paris condemned Azerbaijan's military offensive against Armenian separatists in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, forcibly reintegrated by Baku.
The leader of another European power will not be present either. The German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that he would not attend COP29 after the breakup of his ruling coalition on Wednesday. He had planned to attend climate talks in Baku from Monday to Tuesday, but reversed his decision after the collapse of the German government coalition.
On Saturday, the Dutch Prime Minister, Dick Schoofannounced that he was also canceling his trip to COP29 in Baku to concentrate on managing internal problems: the violent attacks against Israeli supporters in the Netherlands having shaken his country.
Brazil, United Kingdom, Russia: other notable absentees
With COP29 taking place just days after the US elections, President Joe Biden will not be present. This is the second year in a row that he has not participated in global climate negotiations. The U.S. delegation will be led by John Podesta, current senior advisor to the president for international climate policy.
Following a head injury last month, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also canceled his trip to Baku, as did the earlier BRICS summit in Russia. However, his country must host COP30 in Belém next year.
The roi charleswho has campaigned in his own way for the protection of the environment, will not participate in the summit either, the British government having decided not to elect him as a representative while he continues his convalescence after cancer.
The Russian President Vladimir Poutine will not attend the United Nations climate conference in its southern neighbor, and the Russian delegation to COP29 will be led by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
In October, Ukraine's ambassador to the EU, Vsevolod Chentsov, told Politico that the international community should avoid negotiations if Mr. Putin participated.
The Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeauthe Prime Minister of India Narendra Modithe Chinese president Xi Jinpingthe South African Cyril Ramaphosa and the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will also miss this year's climate conference.
Papua New Guinea withdraws from COP29
In August, the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, James Marapeannounced that his country would not participate in COP29 to protest against the absence of “rapid support for victims of climate change” from major nations. The country said it was taking this position in the interest of all small island nations.
Surrounded by oceans and home to the third largest expanse of rainforest on the planet, Papua New Guinea is extremely vulnerable to climate change. The country is suffering from rising sea levels and other natural disasters.
With the summit just weeks away, Foreign Minister Justin Tckatchenko, a Papua New Guinean politician of Ukrainian origin, confirmed that the country would withdraw from the summit's high-level climate discussions. He described these negotiations as “total waste of time”.
He said Papua New Guinea “would no longer tolerate empty promises and inaction“while his people suffer the devastating consequences of climate change. Mr. Tckatchenko added that the last three meetings of the COP “have gone around in circles, producing no tangible results for small island states“.
Papua New Guinea will send a small delegation of officials, but no ministers will participate in the high-level discussions.
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