Joe Biden has criticized Chinese and Russian leaders for being a part of a significant “COP26 Climate Summit.” He said in his speech on Tuesday that COP 26 is a gigantic issue and it requires the presence of world leaders to discuss important subjects.
Although Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are not present at the summit, they have sent delegations for the summit.
COP26 is a climate conference which will last for two weeks till 14 November. In Scotland’s major city, more than 120 leaders showed up for the conference.
The United States, the European Union, India, and China are the world’s top carbon dioxide producers. After these four countries, Russia is the next most prolific emitter of CO2.
Countries have already made significant concessions, including a global commitment to reduce methane levels by 2030 and halt and reverse deforestation by the same year.
Before Biden’s speech, Russian President Mr Vladimir Putin showed his virtual presence and pledged to reverse deforestation. He stated Russia invests in stringent measures to conserve woodlands, according to a Kremlin press release.
When asked about the significance of other nations’ roles in the negotiations thus far, President Trump responded: “China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia have all been very helpful.”
The president of China did not show up. He is a world leader and he should have been there. That was a big mistake.
“It was the same for Mr Putin, who is now trying to keep the nation’s forests burning while its president ‘keeps quiet’ about it,” he added.
When they made the decision in October, Dmitry Peskov, Mr Putin’s spokesman, offered no explanation for why the Russian president would not be attending when he stated that climate change was a “vital” issue for Russia.
In October, UK officials warned Prime Minister Boris Johnson that President Xi Jinping was not expected to attend. It is believed that President Xi has not departed China since early 2020.
In September, Xi Jinping announced that China aims to become carbon-neutral by 2060, with a deadline of 2030 for peak emissions.
In an international energy forum address on October 13, President Putin declared that Russia would also try to be carbon-neutral “no later than 2060”.