- ‘The US pulling out is largely symbolic ... Estimated financing needs for loss and damage is (around) 600 billion, only about 0.1% have so far been found,’ researcher Patrick Schroder tells Anadolu
- ‘The United States is suffering the growing impacts of climate change, including more deadly hurricanes, floods and wildfires ... Trump has turned his back on (Paris Agreement),’ says Bob Ward of the Grantham Research Institute
ISTANBUL
Just 50 days into his presidency, Donald Trump’s administration launched a sweeping assault on US involvement in global climate action and domestic environmental initiatives.
In what has sparked alarm among environmentalists, governments, and climate scientists worldwide, since January, the Trump administration has withdrawn from key international agreements, slashed funding for vulnerable nations, and enacted drastic domestic changes, including cutting budgets for weather agencies and firing officials from key environmental bodies.
Experts warn that Trump’s aggressive rollback threatens to set the world back years in the fight against climate change.
“Climate regression — the rollback of policies designed to combat climate change — is one of the greatest threats to global stability. Instead of accelerating climate action, Trump’s policies take the world backward, worsening climate risks and delaying urgent solutions,” says climate activist Harjeet Singh.
Singh adds that at a time when the world is breaching critical climate thresholds, Trump’s regressive agenda poses an existential threat.
“If his agenda of fossil fuel expansion and climate denial continues, the consequences will be catastrophic — not just for the US, but for the entire planet.”
Climate financing withdrawals
Earlier this month, the US pulled out of two key agreements aimed at supporting climate-vulnerable nations: the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) and the UN Loss and Damage Fund.
By exiting the JETP initiative, the US has ended its contribution to the $45 billion climate finance package designed to help countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, and South Africa shift from coal to clean energy.
Separately, the US also ended its support for the Loss and Damage Fund after its board members resigned from the deal signed at the COP28 climate change conference in Dubai.
Explaining the fund’s significance, Patrick Schroder, senior research fellow at Chatham House’s Environment and Society Centre, says:
“The UN Loss and Damage Fund is important to support vulnerable countries.”
“When the fund was established in 2022, the US only contributed $17.5 million (in total all countries have contributed $741 million so far), so the US pulling out is largely symbolic. Estimated financing needs for loss and damage is around $600 billion — only about 0.1 percent has been found,” he added.
Schroder emphasized that other countries will need to step up to fill the void, but so far, progress has been lacking.
“Brazil, with the upcoming COP30 (at the) end of the year, is trying to keep the momentum going, but it remains to be seen if countries will increase the ambition of their NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions) or contribute more on finance.”
Activist Singh echoed these concerns, stressing that Trump’s withdrawal from the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) undermines efforts to hold high-emitting nations accountable for the destruction caused by their emissions.
“Donald Trump’s withdrawal of the US from the Board represents a direct attack on climate-vulnerable nations, denying them crucial financial support to recover from climate-induced disasters such as floods, droughts, and rising sea levels.”
“By doing this, the US not only shirks its responsibility but also weakens global climate cooperation.”
Singh further warns that halting climate finance will have dire consequences for developing countries.
“Countries like Bangladesh, Malawi, and small island states rely on these funds for flood protection, drought-resistant agriculture, and resilient infrastructure. Without this support, they will struggle to adapt, forcing millions into deeper poverty, displacement, and food insecurity.”
He adds that the loss of US funding will slow down the global shift to renewable energy. “Many developing nations are working to move away from fossil fuels but require significant investment. The combined effect of the US withdrawal and recent aid cuts from the UK and the Netherlands will hinder progress, keeping countries dependent on polluting energy sources.”
Singh also notes that climate finance is a cornerstone of international agreements, including the Paris Agreement.
“The US abandoning its financial commitments erodes trust in the multilateral process and sets a dangerous precedent for other wealthy nations to follow. Trump’s decision deepens climate injustice, leaving the world’s poorest nations to bear the cost of a crisis they did not create.”
Gutting science and green policies at home
At home, Trump has made significant cuts to climate science funding and staffing at key scientific institutions — moves experts say will have lasting repercussions both in the US and globally.
Last month, around 800 employees of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) — the US agency responsible for weather forecasts and storm warnings — were dismissed.
“Trump’s policies on cutting climate science funding and jobs at scientific institutions are detrimental to the science community in the US and internationally,” says Schroder.
He underscored the importance of American science institutions for the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessments.
“The IPCC is currently beginning the 7th Assessment Report. US scientists were not permitted to attend the first meeting that took place earlier this year. This is a real impact and violates the principles of academic freedom and the need for the scientific community to collaborate without interference from politics.”
Schroder warns that these cuts will negatively affect the US’ ability to roll out renewable technologies and decarbonize industries and transport.
“Policy initiatives supporting the oil and gas industry (‘drill baby drill’) are counterproductive, while they are not an immediate threat to the world. It unnecessarily reduces the remaining global carbon budget and we are losing valuable time.”
Singh points out that Trump’s expansion of oil, gas, and coal production has locked in fossil fuel dependency for decades.
“He is dismantling environmental regulations, weakening emissions limits, and prioritizing polluting industries over clean energy. These actions will not only increase US emissions but also undermine global efforts to curb warming.”
He warns the ripple effects will hit developing nations hardest.
“Rising global emissions will lead to more frequent extreme weather events — heatwaves, droughts, hurricanes, and floods — disrupting food and water supplies and increasing economic instability. Vulnerable nations, already struggling with climate-induced displacement and resource shortages, will face even greater hardship.”
Rising domestic costs, risks
For Bob Ward, Policy and Communications Director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics and Political Science, Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement will ultimately hurt American businesses and households.
“The United States is suffering the growing impacts of climate change, including more deadly hurricanes, floods, and wildfires. These are being driven by global emissions of greenhouse gases, of which the United States is responsible for 11%,” says Ward.
“If Mr. Trump wants to protect American lives and livelihoods, he should be seeking action by the countries that are responsible for 89% of the emissions that are harming the United States. The Paris Agreement offered that, but he has turned his back on it.”
Ward adds that cutting financial support for international climate action will also harm poor populations globally and tarnish America’s global standing.
“The job cuts at NOAA and other federal agencies will make American households and businesses more vulnerable and exposed to the growing impacts of climate change, including more devastating hurricanes, floods and wildfires.”
Setback for climate efforts worldwide
Experts warn that Trump’s policies not only stall US climate progress but also hamper the global fight against climate change.
“Trump’s withdrawal from international climate agreements also weakens global momentum,” says Singh, founding director of the Satat Sampada Climate Foundation.
He notes that as the US refuses to act, other fossil fuel-dependent economies may also scale back their commitments, delaying the transition to a sustainable future.
“This not only deepens climate injustice but also heightens the risk of irreversible environmental damage.”
Singh calls the rollback of US environmental legislation and policy a setback not just for America but for the entire world’s climate mitigation efforts.