November 1, 2025 01:34 AM IST
First published on: Nov 1, 2025 at 01:34 AM IST
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Brazil is set to host a leaders’ summit next week, followed by two weeks of UN climate negotiations in the Amazonian city of Belém. (File Photo)
The United States will not send any senior officials to the upcoming COP30 climate summit in Brazil, a White House official told Reuters on Friday.
The official said the move should ease concerns among some world leaders that Washington might try to disrupt the talks. Brazil is set to host a leaders’ summit next week, followed by two weeks of UN climate negotiations in the Amazonian city of Belém.
“The President is directly engaging with leaders around the world on energy issues, which you can see from the historic trade deals and peace deals that all have a significant focus on energy partnerships,” the White House official said in an email to Reuters.
What is Trump’s stance on climate action
US President Donald Trump has made his views on multilateral climate efforts clear. Speaking at last month’s United Nations General Assembly, he described climate change as the world’s “greatest con job” and criticised countries for setting environmental policies that he said “have cost their countries fortunes.”
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Trump announced on his first day in office that the US would withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, a move that takes effect in January 2026. The State Department is also reviewing America’s participation in other international environmental agreements.
Tensions over global climate negotiations
Earlier this month, the US threatened to use visa restrictions and sanctions against countries that supported a proposal by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to cut greenhouse gas emissions from shipping.
That warning prompted a majority of countries at the IMO to delay a decision by one year on setting a global carbon price for international shipping, Reuters reported.
The Trump administration has instead focused on bilateral energy deals, including agreements to expand US liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to partners such as South Korea and the European Union.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Friday there was “room for great energy trade between China and the United States” given China’s demand for natural gas.
Broader policy signals
The White House official told Reuters that “the tide is turning” on the global focus on climate change, referring to a memo from Bill Gates, who argued this week that it was time to shift attention away from temperature targets. Gates said climate change would “not lead to humanity’s demise.”
Earlier this year, the US also opposed parts of a proposed global treaty on plastic pollution, arguing against setting caps on plastic production.
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Brazil is set to host a leaders’ summit next week, followed by two weeks of UN climate negotiations in the Amazonian city of Belém. (File Photo) 
