A decade ago, the COP21 summit in Paris symbolized a united global front against climate change, with leaders like David Cameron, Xi Jinping, and Barack Obama standing shoulder to shoulder. Fast forward to COP30 in Brazil, and the scene is starkly different. Key figures such as Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi, and US President Donald Trump were notably absent, reflecting a broader disengagement from multilateral climate efforts. Trump’s administration has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement, rolled back clean energy initiatives, and prioritized fossil fuel dominance, positioning the US as a global energy superpower. This shift has created a rift with China, which is aggressively advancing its clean energy agenda, now accounting for 40% of its economic growth. The EU, caught in the middle, faces the dilemma of balancing economic security with climate goals. As global emissions continue to rise, the efficacy of annual COP summits is being questioned, with calls for more focused, smaller-scale discussions. Despite these challenges, COP30 aims to secure funding for rainforest preservation, underscoring the ongoing importance of international climate cooperation.
COP30: Trump and many leaders are skipping it, so does the summit still have a point?
