Climate promises hang fire as big economies don't warm up to COP29

Indian minister likely to skip summit, which begins today; Trump's shadow looms over climate finance commitments

- SHREYA JAI

With the Conference of Parties (COP29) beginning in Baku on Monday to bring solutions to climate change, uncertainty over the outcome of the annual event is looming large with major economies, including the US and the EU, planning to stay on the sidelines of the event being held at a time when 2024 is on track to become the hottest year on record.

The Indian minister for environment, forest and climate change is likely to skip the November 11-22 event. India also doesn't have an official pavilion at the venue this time, sources said. A spokesperson of the ministry did not respond to this query till the time of going to press.

It is feared that the COP could be a washout as major economies, including the United States, the European Union and Brazil, are not sending official teams to COP29, according to global media reports.