Trump pulls U.S. out of UNFCCC and IPCC — Implications for Global Climate Governance

In News : Trump pulls U.S. out of UNFCCC and IPCC — Implications for Global Climate Governance

Analysis

• The U.S. President has signed a presidential memorandum withdrawing from 66 international organisations, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
• Withdrawal from the UNFCCC makes the U.S. the first country to exit the core global climate treaty, under which COP negotiations and the Paris Agreement operate.
• This move goes beyond the earlier exit from the Paris Agreement, effectively removing the U.S. from the entire multilateral climate governance architecture.
• As a result, the U.S. will no longer participate as a Party in COP negotiations, climate transparency frameworks, carbon market rule-making, or formal decision-making on climate finance mechanisms.
• Given that the U.S. is among the largest current, per-capita, and historical emitters, its exit weakens the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and undermines trust in reciprocal climate action.
• The decision complicates global climate finance negotiations, especially at a time when countries have agreed to scale up finance targets to at least $300 billion per year by 2035, as other countries may resist higher contributions without U.S. participation.
• For developing countries like India, this could lead to less predictable and weaker climate finance flows, particularly for adaptation and loss-and-damage support.
• Exiting the IPCC may reduce U.S. influence over global scientific assessments that form the basis of climate negotiations, even though individual U.S. scientists may still contribute in non-governmental capacities.
• The withdrawal risks fragmenting climate action into bilateral deals, trade-linked climate measures, and carbon border taxes, increasing policy uncertainty and potential trade disputes.
• Overall, the move is likely to slow global mitigation efforts, weaken collective ambition, and disproportionately affect vulnerable countries facing escalating climate impacts.

Static Background (Relevant to the News)

1. COP 21 (Paris, 2015) and Climate Champions

• COP 21 acknowledged the urgent need for enhanced climate action by both Parties and non-Party stakeholders.
• Decision 1/CP.21:
  • Recognized commitments from initiatives like the Lima–Paris Action Agenda (LPAA).
  • Institutionalized the role of Climate High-Level Champions, with:
    • One Champion from the current COP Presidency.
    • One Champion from the incoming COP Presidency.
• Climate Champions ensure a durable bridge between the UNFCCC process and voluntary climate actions.
• Early champions from Peru, France, and Morocco helped mainstream non-state climate action into the Paris framework.

2. Pre–COP 21 Evolution of Non-Party Stakeholder Action

• Early UNFCCC processes emphasized:
  • Public participation
  • Technology transfer
  • Market-based mechanisms
• Key milestones:
  • COP 18 (Durban): Platform for Enhanced Action.
  • 2014 UN Climate Summit (New York): Convened by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to mobilize global stakeholders.
  • COP 20 (Lima): Launch of the Lima–Paris Action Agenda (LPAA).
• LPAA objectives:
  • Accelerate pre-2020 and post-2020 climate action.
  • Showcase commitments by state and non-state actors.
  • Strengthen momentum toward a new legal climate agreement.
• LPAA involved:
  • Governments, cities, regions
  • Civil society, indigenous peoples, women, youth
  • Academic institutions and businesses

3. UNFCCC Secretariat

• Established: 1992 (Geneva); shifted to Bonn, Germany in 1996.
• Membership: 198 Parties (universal membership).
• Executive Secretary: Mr. Simon Stiell (since August 2022).
• Key Functions:
  • Supports implementation of:
    • UNFCCC
    • Kyoto Protocol
    • Paris Agreement
  • Maintains the NDC Registry.
  • Organizes:
    • Annual COPs
    • Subsidiary Body sessions
    • Climate Weeks and thematic workshops
  • Supports the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action.
• Staff strength: ~450 officials from over 100 countries.

4. Paris Agreement (2015)

• Legal Status: Legally binding international treaty.
• Adopted: COP 21, Paris (12 December 2015).
• Entered into force: 4 November 2016.
• Core Goal:
  • Limit global temperature rise to well below 2°C, with efforts to limit it to 1.5°C.
• Key Mechanisms:
  • Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) — updated every five years.
  • Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategies (LT-LEDS).
  • Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF).
  • Global Stocktake (GST) to assess collective progress.
• Emissions must:
  • Peak before 2025.
  • Decline 43% by 2030 to stay within the 1.5°C pathway.

5. Climate Support under the Paris Agreement

• Finance:
  • Developed countries to lead climate finance.
  • Focus on mitigation, adaptation, and loss & damage.
• Technology:
  • Technology Mechanism and Technology Framework for transfer and innovation.
• Capacity Building:
  • Special emphasis on developing and vulnerable countries.

6. Kyoto Protocol

• Adopted: 1997 | Entered into force: 2005.
• Binding emission reduction targets for developed countries.
• Principle: Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC).
• Flexible mechanisms:
  • International Emissions Trading
  • Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
  • Joint Implementation (JI)
• Doha Amendment (2012):
  • Second commitment period: 2013–2020.
  • Entered into force: 31 December 2020.
• Adaptation Fund:
  • Financed through proceeds from Kyoto mechanisms.

7. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

• Established: 1988 by WMO and UNEP.
• Members: 195 countries.
• Role:
  • Assesses scientific knowledge on climate change.
  • Provides policy-relevant (not policy-prescriptive) assessments.
• Key Outputs:
  • Assessment Reports
  • Special Reports
• IPCC reports form the scientific backbone of global climate negotiations, including COP decisions and GST outcomes.

Updated - 08 January 2026 ; 10:08 AM IST | News Source:The Hindu
See: UNFCCC – Parties and Non-Party Stakeholders
See: IPCC – About the IPCC