The world’s attention is turned to Sharm el-Sheikh with the launch of the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference COP27, amid a state of international polarization as a result of the Russian-Ukrainian war and its political and economic consequences.
The conference comes as an opportunity for world leaders to converge views not only on climate issues but in various files presented globally.
More than 190 countries are participating in the climate conference held from November 6 to 18, some of whom are represented by its leaders. Civil society organizations concerned with climate will also be present.
US President Joe Biden, and French President Emmanuel Macron’s attendance of the climate conference has not been confirmed.
A number of sources suggested that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian Vladimir Putin will not attend.
Joe Biden
The White House said last month that US President Joe Biden will visit Egypt to participate in the COP27 to be held in November.
White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement that Biden will attend the November 11 climate summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
Biden’s attendance will build on the great work that the US has done to advance the fight against climate change at the global level, she said adding the US president will confirm that the world must act in this crucial decade.
Rishi Sunak
Despite the turmoil that the UK is witnessing, which resulted in the resignation of former Prime Minister Liz Truss and the assumption of Rishi Sunak, the reins of power, Sunak will participate in the climate summit.
“There is no long-term prosperity without action on climate change. There is no energy security without investing in renewables,” Sunak wrote on Twitter. “That is why I will attend @COP27P next week: to deliver on Glasgow’s legacy of building a secure and sustainable future,” he added.
Emmanuel Macron
In the same context, the French ambassador to Cairo, Marc Baréty, confirmed the participation of French President Emmanuel Macron in the COP27, chaired by Egypt and hosted in Sharm el-Sheikh.
In statements to the Middle East News Agency on Friday, Baréty said that President Macron will arrive in Egypt on Monday, as he is keen to participate in this global event.
Olaf Scholz
The German government announced last month that Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz will participate in the COP 27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said during the Berlin Climate and Security Conference that there are Great challenges facing the world due to climate change, water scarcity and natural disasters.
Despite the disagreements.. Abiy Ahmed in Sharm el-Sheikh
Despite the Egyptian-Ethiopian dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam project, the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, arrived in Egypt, accompanied by a number of ministers, to attend the summit.
Vladimir Putin
Last month, Russian Presidential Adviser on Climate Affairs Ruslan Edelgeriev confirmed that Putin would not attend the climate conference, arguing that no breakthroughs were expected.
In statements to the Russian “Sputnik” news agency, Edelgeriev said that the last time Putin participated in the UN conference was in 2015, because its timing coincided with the prominent event of the adoption of the Paris Agreement, a legally binding international treaty on climate change.
The upcoming conference in Sharm el-Sheikh is undoubtedly very important, but it is not expected that this year will witness high-level events such as the adoption of the Paris Agreement, he added.
Edelgeriev will represent Russia in the conference.
Indo-Chinese absence
On the other hand, leaders who will also be absent from the summit, include Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that they will not attend the summit.
According to Simon Steele, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, 110 heads of State and Government will attend the summit and participate in a number of its events.
