The United Nations' annual climate conference continues Wednesday with brief speeches by nations big and small.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told world leaders who did show up that the world is seeing “a master class in climate destruction" in a year virtually certain to be hottest on record.

The climate talks often have the star power of a soccer World Cup, but many big names and powerful countries are noticeably absent. That includes the top leaders of the 13 largest carbon dioxide-polluting countries.