Barack Obama calls out China and Russia for not attending Cop26

Barack Obama has called out China and Russia for failing to attend the Cop26 climate summit, suggesting their decisions were “particularly discouraging”.

The former US president made the comments as he addressed the conference in Glasgow.

“It was particularly discouraging to see leaders of two of the world’s largest emitters - China and Russia - decline to even attend the proceedings,” Obama said.

“Their national plans so far reflect what appears to be a dangerous lack of urgency, a willingness to maintain the status quo.”

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