Rio de Janeiro, Jan 24 (EFE).– President Donald Trump’s announcement of the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement has cast a shadow of uncertainty over the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), set to be hosted by Brazil in the Amazon.
Trump, a staunch climate change skeptic, has pledged to accelerate oil drilling and abandon international efforts to combat the climate crisis. This stance poses a significant challenge to the climate negotiations, which aim to drive global climate action.
As the host country, Brazil faces heightened pressure to ensure the summit’s success, especially given the absence of one of the world’s largest polluters.
The Brazilian government, under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, aims to showcase the country as a leader in energy transition and environmental protection.
However, this effort is complicated by its ongoing push to exploit vast hydrocarbon reserves, positioning Brazil as the second-largest oil producer in the Americas.
To underscore the event’s significance, Brazil selected Belém, a city in the heart of the Amazon rainforest, as the conference venue, marking three decades of climate summits. Yet, this symbolic choice risks being overshadowed by the US withdrawal from climate negotiations.
Impacts of the US Exit
The decision will “have a significant impact,” according to COP30 president André Corrêa do Lago, who acknowledged that achieving the goals set at COP29 in Baku will now be “much more difficult” without US participation.
At COP29, countries agreed to a $300 billion fund to finance climate initiatives in the Global South. However, these commitments faced criticism for their inadequacy, particularly from environmentalists and emerging nations, who demand greater ability from wealthier countries.
Brazilian environmental organizations stress the need for Brazil to intensify its efforts in Belém, given the heightened stakes. Some, however, view the US departure as an opportunity.
Claudio Angelo, coordinator of International Policy at Observatório do Clima, Brazil’s leading civil society network on climate, argued that the US has long been a “problematic partner” in multilateral climate efforts.
He cited examples such as its initial reluctance to sign the 1992 Climate Convention, its withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol in 2001, and its role in undermining the 2009 Copenhagen summit.
“The best thing the United States can do right now is withdraw from the Paris Agreement,” Angelo said, emphasizing that the exit should be swift to avoid further disruption.
Prolonged US involvement, he warned, could hinder negotiations, particularly with the State Department under “climate denier Marco Rubio.”
Risks and Opportunities
Angelo cautioned against a potential domino effect, where the US withdrawal might embolden other nations to abandon the Paris Agreement, jeopardizing multilateral climate efforts.
André Guimarães, executive director of the Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM), called the US decision “terrible news” for the global climate.
He urged countries like China, the European Union, and emerging economies, led by Brazil, to assume greater responsibility in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
“This moment demands greater ambition,” Guimarães stressed, highlighting the urgency for collective action in the face of escalating climate challenges. EFE
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