The COP31 climate conference began earlier this week in Antalya, Turkey, as governments face increasing pressure to address the climate crisis following a year marked by extreme weather events including heatwaves in Europe, devastating floods in Nepal, and significant wildfires in Indonesia.
World leaders are scheduled to participate in a high-level segment on Wednesday and Thursday, where they will discuss critical climate issues. Notable speakers include Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. However, several key figures are notably absent from this annual UN climate summit.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is the only leader from a G7 country confirmed to attend. French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have opted out of the event. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi are also missing from the list of attendees. Climate diplomacy expert Cosima Cassel expressed disappointment, stating that Europe’s strong presence is crucial at COP conferences.
Wopke Hoekstra, the EU’s leading climate official, remarked that such absences are not unusual, attributing them to various practical reasons. However, he acknowledged that expectations for this conference may be modest.
Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian indicated his intent to use the platform to discuss environmental destruction linked to conflict, highlighting actions by the United States and Israel. This statement was reported by Iranian state television.
Macron’s absence has been attributed to commemorative events for World War I Armistice Day, as he also plans to attend an EU summit in Ireland. Chiara Martinelli from Climate Action Network Europe emphasized the importance of leadership participation in shaping the global energy transition, cautioning that the presence of key EU economy leaders is vital for impact.
The United States, under President Donald Trump, who withdrew from the Paris Agreement, is represented no longer at such climate talks. Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping will be represented by Vice President Han Zheng at the summit.
As the host, Turkey promotes an initiative aimed at accelerating electrification in various sectors, aspiring to elevate electricity’s role in global energy consumption. This initiative raises questions regarding the use of fossil fuels, which continues to be an area of contention among nations.
