US official: Biden not coming to Dubai climate conference
US President Joe Biden will not be attending this year's Climate Change Conference (COP28), according to a US official. Schedules released by the White House did not show a trip for either Biden or his Vice President Kamala Harris to Dubai, where the climate summit will take place from Thursday through December 12. A U.S. official confirmed that Biden was not planning a visit this week or during a second window toward the end of the meeting.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said Biden's administration was still discussing whether a senior U.S. government official would travel to Dubai. US climate envoy John Kerry will lead the day-to-day negotiations for the US.
The US official gave no reason for Biden's decision not to travel to COP28. However, the Democrat has recently been focusing on the war between Israel and the radical Islamic group Hamas, which has been ongoing for several weeks, and also wants to emphasize his domestic agenda ahead of next year's presidential elections.
Before Biden's term in office, it was not customary for the US President to attend the Climate Change Conference. In 2021, Biden traveled to the meeting, then held in Glasgow, Scotland, to reassure the world that the US would once again take a leadership role on climate. Biden's predecessor Donald Trump had led the USA out of the Paris Climate Agreement and refused to join international efforts to improve climate protection.
Around 70,000 participants, including heads of state and government as well as Pope Francis, are expected to attend COP28 in the United Arab Emirates, which begins on November 30. Among other things, the future use of fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal will play a major role at the conference.
- Despite the absence of President Biden at the World Climate Conference (COP28) in Dubai, a US official confirmed that US climate envoy John Kerry will lead the day-to-day negotiations for the US, implying that none of the senior officials from the Biden administration will be replacing him in this role.
- When asked for reasons behind Biden's decision not to attend COP28, the US official remained silent, possibly due to none of the provided reasons being the actual reason.
- Although none of the high-ranking US officials, including President Biden or Vice President Harris, will be attending the climate summit in Dubai, a US official is still in discussions about the possibility of sending a senior US government official to represent the Biden administration.
Source: www.ntv.de
