- The leaders of China and Russia said they won't be at this week's COP26 climate-change summit.
- Their absence may make it harder for others to secure big commitments to reducing emissions.
China's
Their absence is especially significant given their nations' contributions to global emissions, with China producing an estimated 28% and Russia 5% of global CO2 output.
The Kremlin $4 that Putin would not travel to Scotland for the summit, while China is said to be planning to send its special envoy on climate change instead.
The Times newspaper reported $4 that Johnson had been told that Xi would not attend in person.
Other world leaders at the summit may find it harder to strike a historic agreement on climate change without Xi and Putin around.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is hosting the summit, is seeking support from other world leaders to commit to a radical plan tackling climate change.
Xi has not left China since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, $4, choosing instead to attend summits by video-link.
Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Putin would "unfortunately" not fly to Glasgow but said that climate change was "one of our foreign policy's most important priorities," $4.
-COP26 (@COP26) $4
China emits nearly 28% of the world's global carbon dioxide emissions, $4, more than any other country. The figure grew rapidly as the country's expanding economy industrialized.
Russia emits around 5% of the world's carbon dioxide emissions, $4 - the fourth highest in the world behind China, the US, and India.
US President Joe Biden and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi are planning to attend the summit, as well as $4 other national leaders.