LONDON, Oct 15 (Reuters Breakingviews) - A COP26 without Xi Jinping would be a hammer blow. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been told that his Chinese counterpart won’t make the trip to next month’s global climate talks, the London Times reported on Friday. With the People’s Republic representing almost 30% of global carbon emissions and its progress towards decarbonisation deemed “highly insufficient”, Xi should ideally be at the table. China is reeling from an energy crisis read more and still wary of overseas virus risks, so Xi may feel attendance via web-link is a better look domestically. Yet internationally, it would make the sort of cooperation needed on knotty issues like carbon border taxes a non-starter. Possibly Johnson’s best hope is that previous COPs have also been preceded by frenzied but not always accurate speculation over top-level attendance. Those organising this one will be praying it’s the same case here. (By George Hay) On Twitter http://twitter.com/breakingviews Capital Calls - More concise insights on global finance:Bank-software group defers disruption payday read more Gene hunter’s rosier outlook has a downside read more Worker shortages spread to tech staff Powell’s inflation albatross grows heavier read more French cloud outage is worst possible IPO weather read more