Washington, D.C.: In a departure from his two-year attendance streak, President Joe Biden will not be present at the UN climate summit, COP28, in Dubai, according to a US official. Despite its anticipation as potentially the largest climate summit in UN history, the absence of Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris is confirmed in their schedules released by the White House.
Biden’s itinerary includes a trip to Colorado to emphasize US investments in wind energy, a meeting with the president of Angola, and the ceremonial lighting of the national Christmas tree. The decision not to attend COP28 follows a month-long focus on the Israel-Hamas conflict and a push to underscore his domestic agenda ahead of the upcoming US presidential election.
While attending every COP summit is not a tradition for US presidents, Biden’s notable presence in COP26 in Glasgow in 2021 aimed to reaffirm the United States’ commitment to global climate leadership after his predecessor, Donald Trump, withdrew from the Paris climate accord. Trump, a climate skeptic, remains opposed to what he views as costly climate action.
The Biden administration is reportedly considering sending a high-level official to Dubai. In the president’s absence, John Kerry, the US climate envoy, and former secretary of state and senator, will lead the day-to-day negotiations for the United States. Biden’s focus on climate action is evident domestically, with his signature legislative achievement, the Inflation Reduction Act, allocating significant funds to the green economy, including incentives for electric cars.
Preceding COP28, Kerry engaged in extensive discussions with his Chinese counterpart, Xie Zhenhua, expressing joint commitment from the world’s two largest greenhouse gas emitters to collaborate for progress in Dubai.
By AFP
