US President Joe Biden to skip COP28 climate summit in Dubai: Report

US President Joe Biden will not attend the world leaders' summit at the COP28 climate talks, which is slated to take place this week in Dubai, a White House official told The New York Times on Sunday.

When discussing the president's itinerary, the White House official, who asked to remain anonymous, did not provide a reason for Biden's absence from the two-week summit.

The event is expected to be attended by King Charles III, Pope Francis, and leaders from nearly 200 countries, according to The New York Times.

"They've got the war in the Middle East and a war in Ukraine; a bunch of things are going on," John Kerry, Mr Biden's special envoy for climate change, said last week.

Whereas, Kirsten Allen, a spokeswoman for Vice President Kamala Harris, said last week that the US Vice President had no plans to attend COP28.

Biden has been to the annual UN climate conference for the last two years; the gathering is held in a different place each year.

During the talks in Glasgow in 2021, Biden expressed regret for the United States' temporary withdrawal from a global climate agreement under President Donald Trump, who mocked climate science, according to The New York Times.

He made a three-hour layover in Egypt for the summit last year, during which he urged the enactment of the nation's most important climate bill and reaffirmed American leadership in the worldwide fight against climate change.

The World Climate Action Summit is the high-level segment of the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Notably, COP28 is being held from November 30-December 12 under the Presidency of the UAE.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also attend the COP28 climate talks in the UAE and will be travelling to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from November 30 to December 1 to attend the World Climate Action Summit.

During his visit, PM Modi will also hold bilateral meetings with some of the leaders participating in the summit, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a press release. PM Modi is visiting the UAE at the invitation of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

In the press release, MEA stated, "The Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC provides a unique opportunity to impart momentum for collective action towards combating the shared challenge of climate change."

During the COP26 in Glasgow, PM Modi announced five specific targets, titled "Panchamrit", as India's unprecedented contribution to climate action. During the summit, he also announced Mission Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE).

In the press release, MEA stated, "Climate change has been an important priority area of India's G20 Presidency, and significant new steps have been captured in the New Delhi Leaders' Declaration and other outcomes during our Presidency. COP-28 will provide an opportunity to take forward these successes."

Earlier in July, PM Modi travelled to UAE for an official visit. Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed received him at the airport.

Briefing about PM Modi's UAE visit, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said the trip was "short but very significant, a landmark in the partnership between India and the UAE."

India and the UAE signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in 2022 and since the signing of that important strategic landmark agreement between the two countries, the trade and economic partnership and engagement has grown significantly between the two countries, Kwatra had said.