Title: With Trump and numerous heads of state absent, does COP30 still hold value?

A photograph from a decade ago, captured in Paris, now appears almost archaic. It depicts a long queue of dignitaries in dark suits posing before a massive banner labeled COP21 Paris. At the center, then-UK Prime Minister David Cameron beams, standing next to the future King Charles III and just ahead of China’s Xi Jinping. To the far right, US President Barack Obama is engrossed in conversation with a figure partially cropped out of the frame—a testament to the sheer volume of leaders present that day, making a complete group shot nearly impossible.

This scene stands in stark contrast to the group photo taken on Thursday at the COP30 summit in Brazil. In this year’s lineup, Xi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are conspicuously missing, as are the leaders of approximately 160 other nations. Most notably, US President Donald Trump is absent. The Trump administration has completely withdrawn from the process, confirming that no high-level officials will be attending. This mass absence prompts a critical inquiry: What is the purpose of a two-week multinational gathering if so few leaders are present?

Christiana Figueres, who led the UN’s climate process during the negotiation of the Paris Agreement, previously characterized the COP mechanism as "not fit for purpose" during last year’s conference. Joss Garman, a former climate activist now leading the think tank Loom, concurs, stating, "The golden era for multilateral diplomacy is over." He argues that climate politics has shifted toward controlling the economic advantages of emerging energy sectors. With carbon dioxide emissions continuing to climb despite 29 prior summits designed to reduce them, many question whether additional COPs can effect any real change.

Trump and the Climate 'Con Job'

Upon returning to office, Trump’s first act was to use his signature marker to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement, the 2015 UN treaty intended to limit global warming to below 1.5°C. Addressing the UN General Assembly in September, he labeled climate change "the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world," warning, "If you don't get away from this green scam, your country is going to fail."

His administration has since dismantled environmental protections, rolling back limits on oil, gas, and coal. He has signed billions in tax breaks for fossil fuel companies and authorized the extraction of resources from federal lands. Furthermore, Trump and his team have urged global governments to scrap their renewable energy initiatives in favor of purchasing US oil and gas, threatening punitive tariffs for non-compliance. Consequently, Japan, South Korea, and European nations have committed to buying tens of billions of dollars in US hydrocarbons. Trump’s stated goal is to establish the US as the "number one energy superpower in the world."

Simultaneously, he is undoing the clean energy legacy of his predecessor, Joe Biden. Subsidies and tax incentives for wind and solar power have been reduced, permits revoked, and projects canceled. Research funding has also been trimmed. When asked to justify the administration’s stance in September, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright remarked, "Wind power in the United States has been subsidised for 33 years - isn't that enough? You've got to be able to walk on your own after 25 to 30 years of subsidies."

John Podesta, a senior climate adviser to both Obama and Biden, offers a different perspective. "The United States is taking a wrecking ball to clean energy," he asserts. "They're trying to take us back not to the 20th Century, but the 19th."

Last month, a significant agreement aimed at reducing global shipping emissions collapsed after the US, supported by Saudi Arabia, successfully halted the negotiations. This development has alarmed many supporters of the COP framework. A primary concern is whether the US approach will encourage other nations to lower their own environmental commitments. Anna Aberg, a Research Fellow at Chatham House's Environment and Society program, highlights these growing anxieties.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2025-11-10 00:09:19 UTC