Which Country Leaders Have Refused to Attend Baku?

The UN Climate COP29 conference has begun in Baku. Delegates from around the world are gathering here in hopes of finding ways to prevent the rise in global temperatures and fulfill the promises made under the Paris Agreement.

This year’s summit is dubbed the “financial COP,” as it will examine, for the first time in 15 years, the scope and structure of financing for developing countries to support climate actions.

According to UN data, leaders from over 100 states and governments have confirmed their participation in the conference. However, several world leaders and officials have already announced that they will not be traveling to Baku. Among those not attending the COP29 conference are European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, US President Joe Biden, UK King Charles III, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and the prime ministers of Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, India, and South Africa: Justin Trudeau, Anthony Albanese, Mark Rutte, Narendra Modi, and Cyril Ramaphosa.

This year, around 40,000 people are expected to participate in COP29, while last year’s summit in Dubai saw a total of 83,884 attendees.