US to Skip Senior Officials at COP30 Climate Summit

Credit: United Nations

It may appear that way, says Christiana Figueres, a founding partner of the nongovernmental organisation Global Optimism. She notes that the US President continues to speak in favour of fossil fuels, influential figures such as Bill Gates emphasise other priorities, and oil and gas companies are planning for decades of increased production.

But that is only part of the story, she said. The majority of the world’s population — an estimated 80 to 89 percent — wants stronger climate action. Clean energy technologies are now attracting twice as much investment as fossil fuels, and solar power and regenerative agriculture are expanding across the Global South.

However, the White House has confirmed that the United States will not send any senior-level officials to COP30. According to campaigner John Noel of Greenpeace International, this amounts to ceding leadership on the clean energy transition to other nations.

“It is tragic, but not surprising,” he said. “But those of us travelling to Belém from the United States know we have strong public support for the Paris Agreement and remain committed.”

He pointed out that there are still avenues for climate action at the state and local level, including “polluter pays” policies and incentives for clean energy.

Speaking at the Belém Climate Summit, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the world has failed to stay on track to limit global warming to 1.5°C. Science now indicates that a temporary overshoot is likely in the early 2030s, which could push ecosystems beyond irreversible tipping points and expose billions to severe risks.

Despite rapid advances in clean energy, political will is weakening, and global efforts remain insufficient. For example, a recent UN report suggests that pledged methane cuts will likely fall short.

Anuradha Mittal, Executive Director of the Oakland Institute, said that many wealthy nations are not fulfilling their commitments to reduce emissions or provide adequate climate finance. She criticised the promotion of carbon markets, calling them ineffective, and warned that the rush for “critical minerals” risks creating new environmental and human crises.

She noted that simply replacing all gas-powered vehicles with electric ones is unrealistic due to mineral shortages. Instead, she called for policies to reduce car dependence and expand public transportation.

Guterres urged governments to arrive at COP30 with concrete plans to cut emissions over the next decade and deliver climate justice for vulnerable nations. He said countries must agree on a credible plan to mobilise $1.3 trillion annually in climate finance by 2035 and double adaptation finance to at least $40 billion this year.

Meanwhile, a new report by Oxfam and the CARE Climate Justice Centre finds that developing countries are paying back more in climate loan repayments to wealthy nations than they receive. Nearly two-thirds of climate finance is provided as loans, increasing debt burdens rather than relieving them. The report describes this as “crisis profiteering”.

The impacts of climate change continue to intensify, displacing millions and causing widespread losses in vulnerable regions. Without stronger commitments and equitable financing, experts warn that the gap between climate promises and real outcomes will continue to widen.