125 Leaders Confirmed for NY Summit, Says U.N. Climate Chief

U.N. climate chief Christiana Figueres says the absence of the Chinese and Indian leaders from a U.N. climate summit on September 23 will not affect its credibility or outcomes.

The rulers of the first and third largest carbon polluters on the planet, Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi, recently declined to attend the meeting, hosted by secretary general Ban Ki-moon.

U.S. president Barack Obama is scheduled to attend the gathering, as is U.K. prime minister David Cameron, who told NGOs of his intention to travel on Tuesday evening.  Number 10 confirmed to RTCC Cameron is expected to be there.

And despite Modi and Xi's absence, the UN's top climate official believes the meeting can forge a new consensus on what a global carbon cutting deal could look like.  She expects over 125 heads of state to turn up.

125 Leaders Confirmed for NY Summit, Says U.N. Climate Chief