New Delhi: Donald Trump’s election as the president of the United States is a profound blow to global climate justice and his disregard for international agreements and refusal to provide climate finance will deepen the crisis, international policy experts said on Wednesday. Sunita Narain, the director general of Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment, said Trump winning the White House race is a “big setback” for global climate efforts, especially if he rolls back critical domestic policies like the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
She said the US has historically fallen short in global climate efforts, particularly on financing support for vulnerable countries, decarbonisation and financial commitments to the developing world, and Trump’s presidency will make matters even worse.
“While President Joe Biden’s administration showed stronger climate action domestically than internationally, our primary concern now is that Trump may roll back these critical domestic efforts, including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA),” she said.
“The IRA is crucial because the United States remains the single-largest historical emitter of greenhouse gases and the second-largest emitter annually. It is also the world’s top producer and exporter of oil and gas, generating around 13 million barrels daily. The IRA (and its role in achieving 50-per cent emissions reduction by 2030, below 2005 levels) served as a significant signal to the world that the US could lead on climate action,” Narain said.
In his campaign, Trump emphasised his support for increasing oil and gas production, with “Drill, baby, drill” as a key slogan. He dismissed climate change concerns entirely. Rolling back the IRA and expanding oil production would be extremely harmful for international climate efforts, the climate policy expert said.
Former US president Trump is cruising towards winning the White House race in one of the greatest political comebacks in American history. According to projections, Trump is all set to receive 270 electoral college votes, blocking the chance of Democratic candidate Kamala Harris to win the polls.
Trump, who has publicly called climate change a “hoax”, withdrew the US from the Paris Agreement when he was the president.
He has said he would pull out of the Paris Agreement again. There are concerns that Trump would also consider withdrawing the US from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Harjeet Singh, climate activist and Global Engagement Director for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, said Trump’s victory is a profound blow to global climate justice and an alarming escalation of climate risk for the world’s most vulnerable communities.
Trump’s push to ramp up fossil-fuel production, disregard for international agreements and refusal to provide climate finance will deepen the crisis, endangering lives and livelihoods — especially in regions least responsible for, yet most impacted by, climate change, he said.
“With COP29 talks starting in Baku next week and aiming to secure an ambitious new climate finance goal, this news makes the already challenging path to consensus even steeper and more uncertain. As the narrow window to prevent catastrophic climate breakdown closes, the world cannot afford for its largest historical carbon emitter and top fossil-fuel producer to shirk its responsibility. By stepping back from climate commitments, Trump’s actions threaten to erode trust in a global system already strained by the indifference and inaction of wealthy nations.
“The US, as a nation, has an urgent duty to lead — not undermine — global efforts. It is time for states, the public and companies committed to protecting the planet to intensify their domestic actions and show true solidarity with the developing world, which is confronting the climate crisis,” Singh said.
Helen Clarkson, CEO of international non-profit Climate Group, said fighting climate change, financing the transition and taking action to reduce emissions have just become a “vastly bigger challenge, which will be felt at COP29 and in the years to come”.
This outcome in the US, just after two devastating hurricanes impacted the southern parts of the country, is in line with a trend of climate scepticism throughout the past election year, she said.
“We cannot let that deter us. It means we have to look for leadership elsewhere. Corporates and states and regions, including in the US, are already leading the way on climate action,” Clarkson said.
