President Joe Biden will not be attending the latest UN climate summit in Dubai, breaking a two-year streak of his participation in the talks. The White House schedules for both Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris indicate that they will not be heading to Dubai this week.
Instead, Biden has planned engagements, including a trip to Colorado to highlight U.S. investment in wind energy, a meeting with the president of Angola, and participating in the lighting of the national Christmas tree.
The decision for Biden not to attend COP28 was confirmed by a U.S. official, who mentioned that discussions are ongoing regarding the possibility of sending a top-level official to Dubai. John Kerry, the U.S. climate envoy, will lead the day-to-day negotiations for the United States at COP28.
Notably, it has not been a tradition for U.S. presidents to attend every COP summit. In 2021, Biden traveled to Glasgow to emphasize the U.S.’ commitment to global leadership on climate, and he made a brief trip to COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, the previous year.
The decision for Biden not to attend COP28 was not accompanied by a specific reason, but the President has been preoccupied with the conflict between Israel and Hamas and aims to highlight his domestic agenda with less than a year until the U.S. presidential election.
On the climate front, Biden has prioritized the issue domestically, with initiatives like the Inflation Reduction Act channeling funds to the green economy, including incentives for electric cars. John Kerry had discussions with his Chinese counterpart ahead of COP28, with both nations, the world’s two largest greenhouse gas emitters, pledging to work together for progress in Dubai.
Pope Francis is set to attend COP28 in Dubai, marking the first time a pope has participated in a COP since the process began in 1995. Known for his environmental activism, Pope Francis is expected to use the platform to criticize countries for insufficient action on climate change and advocate for substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
His moral influence is seen as potentially impactful in rebuilding trust between climate-vulnerable nations and affluent, consumerism-driven polluters. The Vatican has also been actively engaged in environmental initiatives, including producing its first nationally determined contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement.
