COP31 Climate Meet in Turkey from 11 Nov:
US Boycotts for Second Time
President Trump refused to send an American
delegation to the United Nations climate summit in Turkey.
1.
US Absence: The United States is not
participating in the UN Climate Summit (COP31), being held in Antalya, Turkey,
from 11 November 2026, with representatives from 197 countries attending.
2.
Trump Administration's Policy:
President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement
and stopped sending official American delegations to annual UN climate
negotiations.
3.
Rollback of Climate Measures: The US
administration has:
o
Abandoned efforts to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions.
o
Cut funding for climate research.
o
Halted financial support to vulnerable countries
facing climate change impacts.
o
Promoted fossil fuels and rolled back support for
clean energy.
4.
Global Leadership Vacuum: The US
withdrawal has left other countries struggling to assume leadership in
international climate negotiations. African and Pacific island nations
expressed concern over the absence of American engagement.
5.
China's Position: China,
the world's largest current emitter of greenhouse gases and a leading
manufacturer and exporter of renewable energy technologies, has not stepped
forward to fill the leadership vacuum.
6.
Mixed Global Climate Commitments:
o
UK and Japan: Continuing efforts to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions.
o
European Union: Softening targets for phasing
out petrol and diesel vehicles and slowing certain emissions-reduction
measures.
o
New Zealand: Reduced its methane-emission
reduction target.
o
Brazil: Moving to expand offshore oil
drilling.
o
Canada: Abandoned its federal consumer
carbon fuel charge and cancelled plans for an oil and gas emissions cap.
7.
Impact on Other Countries: Climate
negotiators from Nepal and other countries warned that US disengagement could
encourage other major polluters to retreat from their climate commitments.
8.
Mixed Reactions to US Absence: Some
climate activists believe the absence of the Trump administration could
facilitate negotiations, as its previous participation had reportedly
obstructed climate initiatives.
9.
Democratic Participation: Despite
the federal government's absence, around 120 American officials, including
governors, mayors and business leaders, are participating. About 19 House
Democrats are also attending.
10.
Political Developments in the US:
Democrats' victories in the November 2026 midterm elections have raised hopes
among climate negotiators that US climate policy could change if Democrats
regain the presidency in 2028.
11.
Possible US Return: Former
US climate envoy John Kerry indicated that other countries would welcome
America's return to climate negotiations, provided it engaged constructively
and cooperatively.
Key Takeaway: The
absence of the United States from COP31 has weakened international climate
cooperation, while several other major economies are also reconsidering or
scaling back their emissions-reduction commitments. The possibility of renewed
US participation will depend partly on the outcome of the 2028 presidential
election.
As
world leaders begin addressing the United Nations climate summit today
(11.11.2026) in Antalya, Turkey, 197 nations will be represented. From Albania to
Zimbabwe, heads of state and governments and top ministers will commit to the global
goal of a livable planet.
But
not the United States.
For
the second year in a row, the most powerful country on Earth and the largest contributor
of planet-warming emissions in history has refused to participate in the global
effort to slow climate change.
President
Trump, who called global warming the “greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world,”
withdrew the United States from the 2015 Paris climate agreement and stopped sending
American delegations to the annual negotiations, known this year as COP31.
The
United States is no longer trying to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, has cut
support for scientific research into global warming and halted funding to help vulnerable
countries cope with the impacts of climate change.
That’s
left the rest of the world scrambling to fill the vacuum.
“Look,
whenever the mic was on, and it was the turn of the U.S. to speak, we all listened,”
said Yaw Bediako Osafo, a negotiator
from Ghana who is leading a group of African countries in the talks. “Now the world’s
superpower is pulling out and saying, ‘Well, we’re not going to be involved.’”
The
political climate in the United States changed abruptly last week, as Democrats
dominated the midterms. The new Congress controlled by Democrats will have limited
power to enact climate policies with Mr. Trump still in office. But Democrats said
they intend to rein in the Trump administration, which has promoted fossil fuels
and waged attacks on the clean energy industry.
“There
does seem to be some positive messages coming out of the U.S. recently,” said Tina
Stege, the lead negotiator for the Marshall Islands, who’s
low-lying atoll country is threatened by rising sea levels.
Some
are already looking ahead to the possibility that, if a Democrat were elected president
in 2028, the United States might return to the U.N. climate negotiations.
“If
what was manifested in this election continues, we’re going to elect someone who
really wants to get something serious done on climate,” said John Kerry, who served
as the U.S. climate envoy in the Biden administration.
Mr.
Kerry said he believed other countries would welcome the return of the United States,
as long as “there’s no arrogance and there’s a readiness to work.”
Taylor
Rogers, a White House spokeswoman, said: “The United States is focused on common
sense, not climate nonsense. The Trump Administration will continue to work with
our allies around the world to restore energy abundance and unleash affordable,
reliable, secure energy sources.”
While
China, the world’s largest present-day emitter, leads the world in the manufacturing
and export of renewable energy technologies, Beijing has not stepped forward to
fill the space vacated by the United States.
Some
countries like Britain and Japan have pushed forward with plans to drive down greenhouse
gases.
But
others have backtracked. The European Union has softened its targets for
phasing out gasoline-powered vehicles, proposed slowing some of its emissions reductions
and weakened some methane rules. New Zealand last year sharply lowered its
reduction target for methane, a powerful planet warming gas. Brazil has moved to
expand offshore oil drilling.
And
under Prime Minister Mark Carney, Canada has scaled back some of its ambitious climate
initiatives over the last year. The country abandoned a federal consumer carbon
fuel charge and canceled plans to put a cap on greenhouse
gas emissions from the oil and gas sector.
“I
don’t see a real clear leader,” said Ilana Seid, Palau’s
ambassador to the United Nations. “Countries are distracted from what used to be
kind of a north star for all of us.”
Several
people said when the world’s largest polluter is doubling down on fossil fuels,
it makes it easier for other polluting countries to downplay climate change.
“When
the U.S. stands up and stands tall and assumes that moral leadership, many things
follow,” said Swarnim Waglé,
Nepal’s finance minister. “With perceived withdrawal, other countries also retreat.”
Yet
some said they were glad the United States was absent. At previous climate summits,
the Trump administration had been an impediment to progress, they said. During Mr.
Trump’s first term, his administration promoted coal at the climate talks.
“Under
this administration it’s better that they’re not here,” said Rachel Cleetus, director of the climate program at the Union of Concerned
Scientists. “We’ve been such an unreliable partner in this space.”
Still,
many Americans are participating at events at COP31, including foundations and nonprofit groups based in the United States as well as current
and former Democratic politicians and policymakers.
Gavin
Newsom, the California governor and a possible 2028 presidential candidate, is arriving
on Thursday, along with Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, according to several
U.S. officials. Al Gore, the former vice president, is speaking at events on the
sidelines.
Gina
McCarthy, the White House climate adviser during the Biden administration, is leading
a contingent of 120 U.S. officials including mayors, governors and business leaders.
About 19 House Democrats also are traveling to Antalya, led by Representative Sean
Casten of Illinois.
Ms.
McCarthy said her group wanted to send the message that most Americans still care
about climate change. She said that message got a little easier to deliver after
the midterm election.
“Hopefully,
the rest of the world will feel less anxious about whether the U.S. can pull itself
out of this administration and get back to the level of work that we all expect,”
she said.
Senator
Sheldon Whitehouse, Democrat of Rhode Island, planned to attend and said it was
important to show up.
“America
gets enormous advantages from having a primary and respected role in the international
community,” he said. “When we choose not to engage on an important matter like this,
we just squander all of those opportunities.”