US, China absent from major UN climate meet

UNITED NATIONS - China and the United States, the world's top two emitters, will be absent from speakers at a UN climate summit Wednesday after promises only to include the most ambitious.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, announcing the summit in December, said he would make the summit "no nonsense" and include only leaders of countries with concrete plans to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.

A list released by the United Nations showed 41 speakers that did not include China or the United States.

US President Joe Biden is in New York for the United Nations and has launched sweeping legislation to reduce carbon emissions.

He has set a goal of a net-zero emissions economy by 2050 but critics say the United States has not yet taken enough action to reach the goal, especially with political opposition on climate from the rival Republican Party.

The "Climate Ambition Summit," however, will include California, represented by Governor Gavin Newsom.

Countries invited to participate include Brazil, Canada and France as well as the European Union. Speakers include London Mayor Sadiq Khan but not the United Kingdom as a whole.

Guterres, addressing the General Assembly on Tuesday, pointed to record-breaking climate chaos and said he did not want the "same old broken record" of countries waiting for others to go first.

"To all those working, marching and championing real climate action, I want you to know that you are on the right side of history and that I am with you," he said. - AFP