World leaders take stage at COP31 but big names missing
COP31 host Turkiye is championing a voluntary initiative to accelerate the electrification of transport, buildings and industry, with a target of raising electricity’s share of global energy consumption to 35% by 2035
COP31, the annual UN climate summit, kicked off in Antalya, Turkiye, on Wednesday, November 11, 2026. High-level discussions are set to continue on both Wednesday and Thursday. However, some prominent world leaders are notably absent from the event. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi are all missing.
EU climate chief Wopke Hoekstra has warned that expectations for the summit are low. According to him, if the summit focuses primarily on electrification, it may lead to meaningful results. Indian Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav emphasized the need for developed countries to fulfill their financial obligations to developing nations without adding to their debt burden.
China’s President Xi Jinping, who rarely attends COPs, will be represented by Vice President Han Zheng. The absence of the United States, represented by former President Donald Trump, and China are particularly significant due to their status as the world’s top economies and biggest emitters of greenhouse gases.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu - Sci-Tech's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 1 other outlet
- World leaders take stage at COP31 but big names missing freemalaysiatoday.com
