The US Trump administration announced on 7 January that it would withdraw from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the multilateral treaty that commits signatories to recognize climate change as an international concern, and also the formal venue for global climate talks.
It is the first country ever to do so, signaling an even more significant disengagement from this kind of participation than the country’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, announced in January 2025, with deeper implications for institutional climate science, governance, finance, and renewable energy cooperation.
The news came via a memo to senior members of the administration, announcing the decision to withdraw from 31 UN groups and 35 non-UN groups, stating that they did not operate in US interests.
Manish Bapna, president & CEO of US NGO the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) believed the move to be “at the nation’s peril”.
“It is not only self-defeating to let other countries write the global rules of the road for the inevitable transition to clean energy but also to skip out on trillions of dollars in investment, jobs, lower energy costs, and new markets for American clean technologies. That might suit Big Oil, but it is bad for everyone else. This is an unforced error for the United States of America.”
Bruce Douglas, CEO of the Global Renewables Alliance, said: “The renewable energy transition is the economic opportunity of the century. By stepping away, the US is choosing to miss out on jobs, investment and industrial growth that are already reshaping the global economy. The rest of the world is moving forward, together.”
He added: “These conventions are not symbolic. They are catalysts for collaboration that underpin climate action, strengthen security and unlock growth across borders. And while the US administration is stepping back, UScompanies, investors and states continue to choose renewables because it is the fastest, most competitive and secure path forward. In a global economy, there is only one Earth and one future, and the energy transition is accelerating with or without US participation.”
A statement from the group insisted global momentum remains strong. “198 countries continue to work together through the UNFCC, driving economic growth, energy security and shared prosperity. And the economics of clean, affordable renewables mean that companies and consumers continue to choose technologies like solar and wind.”