US withdraws from UN climate damage fund

The Trump administration has withdrawn the United States from the United Nations climate damage fund that was established in 2023 to help developing countries most vulnerable to climate change when natural disasters strike.

Establishment of the fund was a victory for climate change activists from developing nations, with nearly 200 countries signing onto the agreement. At the 2023 climate conference, the U.S. pledged $17.5 million to the fund, while the EU contributed $245 million, including $100 million from Germany.

"Both the United States Board Member and United States Alternate Board Member will be stepping down, not to be replaced by a U.S. representative," Rebecca Lawlor, the U.S. representative on the fund's board, said in a March 4 letter.

For decades, island nations have pushed for developed, polluting countries to put money toward helping developing countries rebuild after climate disasters.

The move is the latest by the Trump administration to remove the U.S. from international agreements. One of his first orders after taking office was to pull out of the 2015 Paris climate accords. He had pulled the U.S. out of the Paris agreement during his first term — a decision that was reversed under the Biden administration.

The decision to withdraw from the U.N. fund was quickly condemned, with Ali Mohamed, the chair of the African Group of Negotiators, writing on X: "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."