Trump's victory, the focus of COP29 plagued by notable absences

This Monday the COP29 began in Baku (Azerbaijan), the climate summit attended by tens of thousands of representatives of member countries of the United Nations (UN) and other legislative entities such as the European Union (EU), as well as activists, scientists and other public figures. A meeting that, apart from the climate debate and the measures that may be taken in this regard, will focus on Donald Trump's victory and the more than possible exit of the United States from the Paris Agreement.

During his first term, Trump withdrew the country from the Paris Agreement, claiming that his goal was to "protect Americans" from a "very unfair" climate treaty with a clear undertone of "killing the American economy." However, that absence from the agreement was minimal, since, a few days after entering the White House as president, Joe Biden ordered reentry.

The UN is aware that Trump - who has been described as a "climate denier" - is considering the idea of the country once again abandoning the Paris Agreement. And it is an approach that concerns the organization, which calls for international cooperation, because "the ambitions of the Paris Agreement are in serious jeopardy."

In the absence of an official pronouncement from Trump, the Biden-Harris Administration assumes that the president-elect, even if he makes an official withdrawal from the treaty, will not turn his back on the climate issue. "I want to tell you that while the federal government in the United States, under Donald Trump, may put climate action on the back burner, the work will continue, with passion and commitment," John Podesta, US emissary to COP29, said at a press conference.

Notable absences at COP29

Many top leaders from around the world have 'dropped out' of COP29, making it clear that the climate narrative is crumbling. Obviously, Trump will not be attending. Nor Joe Biden. Nor is anyone from his cabinet scheduled to attend. To these notable absences must be added those of other important world leaders such as the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin; and his Chinese and Brazilian counterparts, Xi Jinping and Lula da Silva.

From Europe, this COP29 attendance has also been underestimated. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission (EC), will not attend; nor will several of the main leaders such as the French leader Emmanuel Macron and the German leader Olaf Scholz. The British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will be present, as well as the UN Secretary General, António Guterres.

Tension on the first day

The priority objective of COP29 is the redistribution of climate funds in favor of developing countries to help reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, one of the main purposes set out in the Paris Agreement. However, at the expense of public funds of the member countries. The first day of the summit has already witnessed disagreements that have even led to tense moments in the negotiations.

According to AFP, these differences between several of the representatives occurred during the first day and forced the delay of the approval of the day's agenda. A tension that Mukhtar Babaiev, Azerbaijan's Minister of Ecology and host of COP29, reflected: "We are heading for ruin. And it is not about future problems. Climate change is already here." Finally, those present reached an agreement to set up international carbon markets, which should make it easier for them to meet their climate targets by trading greenhouse gas emissions credits.

COP29, which began on Monday, will run until November 22.