The United Nations' Climate Change Conference, also known as COP30, is underway in Madrid. However, a notable absentee from the talks is US President Donald Trump, who has been vocal about his skepticism towards climate change agreements. Several other world leaders are also skipping the summit, fuelling concerns about its effectiveness and relevance.
COP30 brings together representatives from nearly 200 countries to discuss global cooperation on climate change mitigation and adaptation. The conference aims to finalise rules for implementing the Paris Agreement and promote international collaboration on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The absence of key leaders is a blow to the summit's credibility, but many delegates remain hopeful that productive discussions will take place. Climate experts say that even without major leaders, COP30 can still achieve significant outcomes, including agreements on climate change financing and technology transfer.