Seven EU governments skip COP31 Leaders' Summit in Antalya
Germany France Spain Italy Denmark Ireland and the Netherlands give no reasons for staying home, US government absent for second year but 19 members of Congress arrive after Democratic midterm win
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EU leaders criticised for missing COP31 family photo
euronews.com
Seven EU governments are missing from the COP31 Leaders' Summit in Antalya. Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Ireland and the Netherlands are all absent, and none of the leaders staying away has given a reason, Euronews reports. The EU's official representation falls to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who is due to speak at the summit.
Even Pedro Sánchez is staying home. The Spanish prime minister has been among Europe's most outspoken voices on the climate crisis, usually in the wake of extreme weather in Spain.
The Leaders' Summit is the annual fixture where heads of state pose for the family photo, announce commitments and hold the one-to-one meetings that set the coalitions for the negotiations that follow. The absent countries are nonetheless present at the wider conference through negotiators, who will shape the written deal that concludes the summit. Chiara Martinelli, director of Climate Action Network Europe, said the absent leaders are "missing more than just a photo opportunity" and that their absence puts the burden on ministers "to show that Europe and other developed countries are serious about delivery." Her second remark was blunter: "If top leaders want influence over where the global transition is going, showing up is a pretty good place to start."
The United States has no government presence for the second year running, after President Donald Trump pulled the country out of the negotiations calling climate change a hoax. Within days of the Democrats winning last week's midterm elections, however, a delegation of 19 members of Congress made a last-minute decision to attend, led by the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition Institute, to explore "opportunities for renewed US engagement on climate, energy, and economic policy."
The absences come the same week Brussels reported that nine EU countries are on track to fall short of their 2030 emissions-cutting targets. Türkiye's environment and climate change minister, Murat Kurum, who presides over the summit, wants COP31 to focus on turning existing commitments into action rather than setting new targets.
The absent leaders have not explained themselves. The negotiators they sent will write the final text.