China and the United States Excluded from UN Climate Summit Speakers

China and the United States, recognized as two of the world’s leading contributors to carbon emissions, will not be featured among the speakers at the upcoming United Nations climate summit. Secretary General Antonio Guterres made it clear that only countries with substantive plans for achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions would be granted a platform.

The United Nations has unveiled a list of 41 speakers for the summit, and it notably excludes both China and the United States. While President Joe Biden, currently in New York for the UN general assembly, has presented more rigorous carbon emission reduction proposals and set a target for achieving a net-zero emissions economy by 2050, critics argue that the United States has yet to take sufficient action to fulfill this objective, in part due to resistance from the Republican Party.

Nevertheless, the “Climate Ambition Summit” will feature California, represented by Governor Gavin Newsom, and countries like Brazil, Canada, France, and the European Union have been extended invitations. It’s worth noting that while London’s Mayor, Sadiq Khan, is included among the speakers, the entire United Kingdom is not.

In his address to the general assembly, Guterres underscored the urgency of the climate crisis and expressed his determination to break free from the repetitive cycle of countries waiting for others to take the lead. He conveyed his solidarity with those advocating for substantial climate action, declaring, “To everyone working for and championing genuine climate action, I want to assure you that you are aligned with the course of history, and I stand in solidarity with your cause.”