President Biden will skip the upcoming COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, marking his second consecutive year absent from the event after attending the first two years of his presidency. Instead, senior officials including John Podesta, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm will represent the U.S. at the conference scheduled from November 11-22. Other prominent leaders, such as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, are also expected to miss the summit, which aims to address climate finance and set ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets. The absence of key leaders, including Biden, raises questions about the momentum of global climate negotiations at this critical juncture. The U.S. delegation will consist of over 20 officials from various government departments focusing on diverse issues related to climate change. Biden's decision comes in the context of his administration's efforts to reaffirm U.S. commitment to the Paris Agreement after the previous administration's withdrawal.