UK PM Climate Goals: UK PM unveils ambitious new climate goals even as top world leaders give COP29 a miss

BAKU: The two-day World Leaders Climate Action Summit at COP29 kicked off Tuesday with big names such as Joe Biden (USA), Narendra Modi (India), Xi Jinping (China), Vladimir Putin (Russia), and Emmanuel Macron (France) giving it a miss. The UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, however, stole the show by announcing a higher climate goal for his country.
Starmer pledged to reduce all greenhouse gas emissions by at least 81 per cent by 2035 from the levels of 1990. His move of presenting the UK’s 2035 nationally determined contributions (NDC) — climate action targets — comes at a time when observers apprehend dilution of climate actions globally amid the US threat to withdraw from the Paris Agreement under US President-elect Donald Trump. It is believed that the UK’s new targets will galvanise the actions towards new NDCs, which are expected to be delivered by all countries next year.
Though the summit is being organised by the COP29 presidency to give a political push to the two key agendas (new climate finance goals and carbon market), experts dismissed the non-participation of big leaders as a non-issue, saying the leaders knew that this year’s agenda of the COP is more technical than political. Biden’s absence is, however, obvious – an immediate fallout of the Democrats’ defeat in the presidential poll.
“The Heads of governments attending climate COPs in the very first few days is a recent trend. It is not mandatory. It started in 2021 when the commencement of the Paris Agreement just started and was needed to put it on a high pedestal. So, it depends really on the agenda and the need for advancing a specific goal. This year’s agenda of the COP is more technical than political as it focuses on a financial goal where the shoe is on the other foot,” said R R Rashmi, distinguished fellow, TERI.
Rashmi, former India’s negotiator, said, “No major announcements except those relating to private sector involvement and carbon markets are expected. The ministers from all countries, including India, will join in any case in the second week when the negotiations are at full pace, and India is expected to have its high-level participation.”
Climate activist and Global Engagement Director for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, Harjeet Singh, however, said the absence of high-level leaders from India and other nations at COP29 is indeed a missed opportunity to amplify political pressure on wealthy countries to fulfil their climate finance commitments.
“Yet the real accountability lies with developed nations, who have continually fallen short on their pledges. Restoring trust in the multilateral system requires their renewed commitment—demonstrated through both presence and decisive action. India’s negotiating team remains resolute, championing equity and justice, ensuring that the voices of developing nations are front and centre, and advocating for the trillions of pounds needed annually to drive meaningful global climate action,” he said.