European leaders missing from climate summit signal uncertainty over EU commitment
The absence of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and other key global leaders at Cop29 has raised doubts about Europe’s commitment to climate leadership, especially following recent global political shifts.
Jennifer Rankin reports for The Guardian.
In short:
- Von der Leyen, along with leaders from the U.S., France and Brazil, will not attend the UN Cop29 climate summit in Baku, focusing instead on other political duties.
- Critics, including European Parliament members, argue her absence could weaken the EU's perceived commitment to the climate crisis.
- The European Commission will send a team led by climate and energy commissioners, though some fear this will reduce the EU’s influence at the summit.
Key quote:
“The climate crisis does not wait for ideal conditions to act, and neither can we. After the re-election of [Donald] Trump, the EU must now take a stronger leadership role, both to sustain momentum and to counterbalance the US stance.”
— Mohammed Chahim, vice-chair of the European Parliament’s delegation
Why this matters:
As climate impacts intensify, visible leadership from major economies like the EU is critical to driving global action. Without prominent EU voices at the summit, climate talks risk losing momentum, especially as other major emitters also scale back their presence.
Related: Arthur Neslen: EU retreats from environmental commitments amid far-right pressure
