World Leaders to Speak at COP-31; Key Figures Absent

The UN Climate Change Conference, COP-31, is currently underway in Antalya, Turkey, amidst an intensifying climate crisis. Dozens of world leaders are scheduled to deliver addresses today and tomorrow as part of the high-level session that began on Wednesday (November 11). However, the absence of top leaders from several influential nations—including the United States and China—has sparked fresh discussion regarding this critical summit on addressing the climate crisis.

According to a report by the news agency AFP, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian are among those expected to speak at the conference.

Meanwhile, among the G7 nations, no heads of government are scheduled to speak, with the exception of the United Kingdom’s representative. Although European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is in attendance, the top leaders of France, Germany, and Italy are not participating.

Furthermore, the names of Canadian and Japanese leadership do not appear on the published list of participants.

Absence of Top Leaders from the U.S. and China

The leaders of the world’s two largest economies—the United States and China—are also not participating in person.

There is no prospect of U.S. President Donald Trump attending the summit. Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping will be represented by Vice President Han Zheng.

Climate experts note that the United States and China are major contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions; therefore, their active participation is vital to addressing climate change.

Cosima Cassel, an expert at the climate diplomacy research organization E3G, has expressed concern over the absence of key European leaders, suggesting that a stronger European presence was needed at this summit.

However, Wopke Hoekstra, the European Union’s top climate official, noted that it is not always possible for every world leader to attend such summits, citing various practical and official constraints. Potential for New Controversy Over Fossil Fuels

At this year’s conference, Turkey is advocating for a voluntary initiative to increase the use of electricity across the transport, building, and industrial sectors. The goal is for electricity to account for 35 percent of total global energy consumption by 2035.

However, the European Union maintains that any increase in electricity consumption must be matched by ensuring that the electricity is generated from clean energy sources. Consequently, there is a risk of disagreement at the conference regarding the continued use of oil, gas, and coal.

In 2023, world leaders reached an agreement in principle to transition away from the use of fossil fuels. Yet, subsequent climate conferences have failed to achieve significant progress toward realizing that objective.

Meanwhile, climate activists view the presence of Brazilian President Lula da Silva as a positive development. His long-standing commitment to reducing deforestation has offered a new glimmer of hope for discussions on climate protection.

The world’s attention is now focused on the ongoing COP-31 conference, which aims to address the impacts of climate change, facilitate the transition to clean energy, and strengthen international cooperation.