Biden to attend COP27 global climate summit

President Biden will attend a global climate change summit taking place in Egypt, the White House confirmed on Friday evening. 

“On November 11th, President Biden will attend the 27th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt,” said a statement from White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. 

“At COP27, he will build on the significant work the United States has undertaken to advance the global climate fight and help the most vulnerable build resilience to climate impacts, and he will highlight the need for the world to act in this decisive decade,” she wrote. 

Every year, global leaders gather to discuss climate progress and negotiate further efforts to slow the planet’s warming. At 2015’s climate summit, leaders negotiated the Paris Agreement. 

The Washington Post previously reported that Biden would attend this year’s conference, but officials pushed back at the time, saying the plans hadn’t yet been finalized. 

The conference starts on Nov. 6, raising questions about whether Biden would attend this year, given the proximity to the Nov. 8 election. But it is slated to last through the 18th.

Biden previously attended last year’s conference. At that time, questions had been raised about whether the U.S. would be able to deliver significant progress amid tense negotiations over climate legislation. 

This year, he’ll have the Inflation Reduction Act — the Democrats’ climate, tax and health care bill — to tout. The administration has indicated that it is seeking to rebuild U.S. credibility on the world stage after former President Trump’s climate denial and environmental rollbacks. 

Biden will also travel to Bali, Indonesia, from Nov. 13 through 16 for the G-20 Leaders’ Summit.