Kamala Harris will attend COP28 after criticism for Biden's absence at the climate change summit

The vice president Kamala Harris will attend COP 28, as the UN global climate summit is known, taking place this week in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, the White House announced Wednesday.

Harris’ attendance at COP28 is in line with her recent moves to step up public messaging on climate change. It has also been announced after criticism arose over President Joe Biden’s absence from the world summit.

In recent months, the vice president has attended climate-related events, including speaking with students and young voters about an issue central to them.

Harris said in a statement shared on X, before Twitter: “I am heading to COP28 in Dubai this week. “I look forward to meeting our allies and partners as @POTUS and will continue our work toward bold global action to address the climate crisis.”

Kirsten Allen, Harris’ press secretary, said in a statement that The vice president will attend the conference on Friday and Saturday.

“The vice president’s participation in COP28 will continue the Biden-Harris Administration’s leadership in bold global action to address the climate crisis, advance the United States’ climate goals, and help ensure a strong outcome at COP28,” Allen said. in a statement.

Harris will be the highest-ranking representative among the dozens of U.S. lawmakers and agency officials taking part in the nearly two-week negotiations, which begin Thursday.

The Biden government has not given any explanation as to why the president will not attend the summit in this edition.as it did in the previous two, and some environmental advocacy groups have criticized this decision, considering that an opportunity is being lost to put the climate crisis at the top of the international agenda.

Government officials, however, assured in a call with journalists that the climate crisis is one of the priorities of Biden’s policy both within the United States and internationally.

“The president has led an ambitious climate agenda from the first day of his government,” stressed one of the officials, who highlighted that the US has carried out a series of measures to support the energy transition in other countries.

At the same time, the official highlighted, Vice President Harris will have as a priority at the summit putting pressure on other world powers, which are in turn the main emitters of carbon dioxide, so that they “do their part and make commitments.”

In a statement this afternoon, the White House also reported a phone call this Wednesday between Biden and his counterpart from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

In that call, Biden informed Mohamed bin Zayed, known as MBZ, that Harris will lead the US delegation and will be in charge of highlighting “the global leadership” of the US on climate issuesat the same time that it will contribute to driving “greater global ambition” in this event.

The US delegation also includes the special envoy for climate change, John Kerry, the White House reported.

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