The Trump administration has formally withdrawn the United States from the United Nations climate damage fund, a financial mechanism established in 2023 to support developing nations facing the worst impacts of climate-related disasters.
The fund, regarded as a significant victory for climate-vulnerable nations, was backed by nearly 200 countries at the 2023 climate summit. The US initially pledged $17.5 million, while the European Union committed $245 million, including $100 million from Germany.
Rebecca Lawlor, the US representative on the fund’s board, confirmed the withdrawal in a letter dated 4 March, stating that both the US Board Member and Alternate Board Member would step down without replacements.
For years, small island nations and climate-affected developing countries have urged major industrialised nations to contribute to post-disaster recovery efforts. The US withdrawal marks another step in Trump’s pattern of retreating from international climate commitments. One of his earliest actions in office was to withdraw from the 2015 Paris Agreement, a move reversed by the Biden administration before Trump reinstated it upon returning to power.
The decision has been widely condemned. Ali Mohamed, chair of the African Group of Negotiators, criticised the move on social media, writing: “At a time when the world needs a concerted effort to fight the effects of climate change, the spirit of multilateralism should remain our guiding light.”
