US Not Sending Any High-Level Officials to COP30

AFP/APP

WASHINGTON: The United States will not send any top officials to the COP30 climate talks in Brazil later this month, a White House official said Saturday, as President Donald Trump focuses on boosting fossil fuels instead of climate diplomacy.

Trump, who withdrew from the Paris climate agreement for a second time upon returning to the White House in January, had not been expected to attend the leaders’ summit ahead of the annual UN climate conference in Belem. It now appears he will also refrain from dispatching any senior negotiators to the talks, scheduled for November 10–21.

“The US is not sending any high-level representatives to COP30,” a White House official said on condition of anonymity. “The president is directly engaging with leaders around the world on energy issues, as reflected in the historic trade and peace deals focused on energy partnerships.”

Brazil announced Friday that fewer than 60 world leaders have confirmed attendance at the climate summit on November 6–7 — held separately this year to ease accommodation pressures. Confirmed attendees include the leaders of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Norway, Colombia, Chile, Cape Verde, and Liberia. China has said Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang will represent President Xi Jinping.

While Trump also exited the Paris deal during his first term, his administration has gone further this time, leveraging US influence to promote fossil fuels globally. This includes threatening countries with retaliatory measures if they support a carbon pricing system proposed by the UN’s International Maritime Organization, effectively stalling its implementation.

Climate advocates now fear the administration could attempt to withdraw from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) — the treaty underpinning the Paris Agreement. Such a move could bar future US administrations from rejoining, though legal experts question whether the executive branch has the authority to terminate a Senate-ratified treaty.

Lower-Level Participation

Despite the federal government’s absence, more than 100 US state and local leaders — including governors and mayors — are expected to participate in COP30.

“We are showing up in force,” said Gina McCarthy, co-chair of the America Is All In coalition, during a press call Thursday.

McCarthy, who previously led the Environmental Protection Agency under President Barack Obama and later served as a climate advisor to Joe Biden, said the group heading to Brazil represents “two-thirds of the US population, three-quarters of the US GDP, and more than 50 percent of US emissions.”

“We’ll deliver on the promises we made to the American people and our international partners,” she added. “Local leaders have the authority to take meaningful climate action both at home and abroad.”

In total, 170 delegations are accredited for the COP30 summit, which convenes amid global political turbulence that many fear will overshadow the climate crisis.