EU Leaders Skip COP31 Summit in Turkey, Shifting Burden to Negotiators

Key European leaders, including Germany's Merz, France's Macron, Italy's Meloni, and Spain's Sánchez, will skip the COP31 Leaders Summit in Antalya, Turkey, which begins today. Their absence shifts negotiation responsibility to ministers and negotiators present at the two-day high-level meeting. The summit features bilateral talks and coalition-building ahead of week-long climate negotiations. Climate Action Network Europe's Chiara Martinelli criticized the absences, saying leaders are missing more than a photo opportunity and placing greater burden on delegates to show developed countries' commitment. Brussels reported nine EU nations risk missing 2030 emission targets. Turkish Environment Minister Murat Kurum, presiding over COP31, wants the summit to focus on implementing existing commitments rather than setting new goals, with electrification and waste reduction as central themes. The US has no government representation for a second year, though 19 Democratic Congress members are attending after last week's midterm election victory.