Environmental groups including Greenpeace also expressed their frustration at the lack of progress made in Rome.<\/b>
\nPresident Joe Biden and United Nations Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres were among the world leaders to express disappointment Sunday at the lackluster progress made to address the climate crisis at the G20 summit in Rome ahead of the U.N. climate meeting COP26 in Glasgow. \u201cIf Glasgow fails, then the whole thing fails,\u201d U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned Sunday, underscoring the critical importance of COP26. The first in-person meeting of the world\u2019s 20 leading economies \u2014 19 countries plus the European Union \u2014 since before the pandemic also included German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron, and host Mario Draghi of Italy. Presidents Xi Jinping of China and Vladimir Putin of Russia appeared at the meeting via video, and are also expected to appear virtually at COP26, a blow for the climate discussions considering the two countries represent a third of the planet\u2019s greenhouse gas emissions. COP26 will run through November 12, and is seen as the planet\u2019s \u201clast, best hope\u201d in the face of the devastating climate crisis. \u201c G-20 make mild pledges on climate neutrality, coal financing \u201d (Associated Press) \u201c G20 pledge climate action but make few commitments \u201d (BBC News) \u201c G20 pledge to take climate action criticised for \u2018lacking ambition\u2019 \u201d ( The Guardian) \u201c G20 leaders offer little new on climate, UN chief\u2019s hopes \u2018unfulfilled\u2019 \u201d (Reuters) \u201c \u2018Last, best hope:\u2019 Leaders launch crucial UN climate summit \u201d (Associated Press) \u201c The absence of key world leaders hangs over Biden’s first G-20 \u201d (CNN)<\/p>\n