US withdraws from UN climate bodies including IPCC

The United States announces withdrawal from multiple UN bodies, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the UNFCCC, following a prior exit from the Paris Agreement.

By Belfast Herald Staff Reporter1 min read

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The United States has withdrawn from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the UNFCCC, a global treaty established in 1992 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The move follows a prior withdrawal from the Paris Agreement during the same administration.

The US Treasury Department also announced withdrawal from the UN's Green Climate Fund, the world's largest multilateral climate fund. No US representative attended the November UN climate summit in Brazil, held under UNFCCC auspices.

The UNFCCC was approved by the US Senate with a 92-0 vote during George H.W. Bush's presidency. Legal ambiguity exists over presidential authority to withdraw from treaties, which may lead to court challenges.