Trump Administration Skips Climate Summit as China and EU Strengthen Reduction Targets

Trump’s Obsession with Fossil Fuels
Criticizes the “Green Scam”
China, the World’s Factory, Pledges 10% Carbon Reduction

The Donald Trump administration chose international isolation at the global climate summit by emphasizing the expansion of fossil fuels and an "America First" policy. While countries around the world unveiled roadmaps to expand renewable energy and reduce carbon emissions, the United States was the only nation to move in the opposite direction. In contrast, China-the world’s largest carbon emitter-and the European Union presented even more ambitious reduction targets, taking a stance directly opposed to that of the United States. Although America’s withdrawal has not weakened other countries’ climate actions, there is growing consensus that the United States’ position in the international order is shrinking.

AP Yonhap News

On the 24th (local time), the Climate Summit held at the United Nations headquarters in New York saw participation from major countries such as China, Russia, Japan, and Germany, as well as the Central African Republic, Syria, and Iran. However, the United States was conspicuously absent. President Donald Trump, since his first term, has labeled the Paris Agreement a “scam that harms the economy” and has rejected multilateral climate accords altogether. This is the reason the United States did not attend the summit, which was intended to review implementation of agreements and discuss future emissions targets.

In his speech at the United Nations General Assembly the previous day, President Trump once again displayed a hostile attitude toward renewable energy. He warned, “If we do not escape from this green scam, our country will fail,” and insisted that European and Asian countries should purchase more American oil and gas. The United States is currently the world’s largest producer of oil and gas, and President Trump has made expanding fossil fuel exports his top priority. Although former President Joe Biden declared the United States’ return to the Paris Climate Agreement in January 2021 and promoted renewable energy as a new growth engine for the American economy, the Trump administration shifted energy policy back to a fossil fuel-centered approach after taking office.

The New York Times reported, “This stands in stark contrast to the global trend of rapidly expanding renewable energy facilities such as wind and solar power,” noting that even oil-producing Saudi Arabia is quickly increasing its solar power capacity.

Amid these global trends, criticism has emerged that the United States alone is seeking to establish itself as a “fossil fuel exporter.” Wopke Hoekstra, the European Union’s Commissioner for Climate Action, expressed concern, saying, “The United States, the world’s largest economy and second-largest emitter, has effectively withdrawn from the climate regime.” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned that “addressing climate change is the entry fee for trust and engagement in the international community,” and cautioned that the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and other regressive actions would ultimately lead to America’s diplomatic isolation.

The message from the 121 countries that gathered at the summit was entirely different from that of the Trump administration. They emphasized that renewable energy can not only slow climate catastrophe but, thanks to its price competitiveness, also contribute to economic growth and energy security. Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis stated, “The transition to renewable energy is not a sacrifice of prosperity, but an essential condition for future prosperity.”

In particular, China, once known as the world’s factory and currently the largest carbon emitter, showed a notable shift in attitude. Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged, “By 2035, we will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 7 to 10 percent from their peak, increase the share of non-fossil fuels to over 30 percent, and expand wind and solar power facilities sixfold.”

Although President Xi did not mention the United States by name, he remarked, “Some countries are moving backward, but the international community must move in the right direction,” a statement widely interpreted as a veiled reference to the United States.

The European Union also expressed its intention to actively participate in carbon emission reductions. The EU reached a provisional agreement to cut emissions by 66 to 72 percent compared to 1990 levels by 2035, with plans to finalize this target at the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30) in Brazil this November. The EU had previously promised, during trade negotiations with the United States in August, to purchase 750 billion dollars’ worth of American fuel during President Trump’s term. However, The New York Times reported that experts argue this is physically almost impossible and could undermine the transition to renewable energy.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.