Secret Climate Talks Without Top Polluters

The annual UN climate conference is happening in Azerbaijan, but the world's biggest polluters and strongest economies aren't sending their top leaders. China, the US, India, and Indonesia—countries responsible for over 70% of global heat-trapping gases—are notably absent. Climate scientist Bill Hare said this shows a lack of political will to take climate action. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the world is experiencing 'a master class in climate destruction. ' Despite this, he's hopeful about the clean energy revolution. The number of electric vehicles and clean energy capacity has grown significantly since 2016. Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev defended his country's oil and gas industry, arguing that all resources are gifts from nature. Reverend Fletcher Harper of GreenFaith criticized this, saying that fossil fuels are leading the planet to disaster. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a more ambitious emission reduction target, aiming for an 81% cut by 2035. Many climate analysts praised this move. Leaders from climate-vulnerable countries also attended, including the Marshall Islands' President Hilda Heine, who stressed the importance of transitioning away from fossil fuels. This year's talks focus on climate finance—how rich nations can help poorer ones tackle climate change. UN officials are negotiating massive amounts of money, ranging from $100 billion to $1. 3 trillion annually.