International Climate Conference Excludes EU Due to Lack of Participation Contributions
The United Nations (U.N.) has released a provisional lineup of world leaders set to announce new climate targets, and the European Union (EU) has found itself in an unexpected position - absent from the list.
The lineup, convened by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, includes China, the largest polluter, and India, among others, expected to announce their new targets. The absence of the EU from the lineup would be extraordinary, given the U.N. official's expressed expectation for the EU to continue being a global leader in climate matters.
Karl Mathiesen reported from London, and Sara Schonhardt reported from Washington, that on Thursday, EU ministers were locked in talks over a "statement of intent" instead of a hard target. The EU has not agreed on a nationally determined contribution (NDC), a specific goal in U.N. parlance, which has led to its exclusion from the list.
An anonymous U.N. official stated that the EU takes climate seriously and is working on its NDC. However, the EU has yet to publish its latest Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) climate commitment to the U.N. There are no available search results specifying the exact date when the EU published its latest NDC.
The lineup is for announcements of new goals for cuts to climate pollution required under the 2015 Paris Agreement. China, the largest polluter, is expected to announce a new target, while the U.S., which has walked away from global efforts, was also not on the list.
India was not afforded a platform in the lineup, raising questions about the global commitment to addressing climate change. The U.N. official signaled the EU might be given a pass to announce its new climate target on Sept. 24, but the EU's delay in agreeing on a concrete plan has left its position uncertain.
The European Commission did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The EU's absence from the lineup has sparked concerns about its commitment to tackling climate change and its role as a global leader in this critical issue.
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