According to a report from Reuters, the United States has announced its withdrawal from the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) within the United Nations, as indicated in a letter obtained. The fund is specifically designed to assist impoverished and vulnerable countries in coping with disasters caused by climate change.
Rebecca Lawlor, the U.S. representative on the fund’s board, stated in a letter to Jean-Christophe Donnellier, the co-chair of the FRLD fund on March 4th, that “all U.S. board members and alternate board members will resign, and will not be replaced by U.S. representatives.”
The letter further stipulated that the withdrawal is to take effect immediately.
The climate damage fund is managed by the World Bank, with the head of the World Bank being appointed by the United States. The U.S. letter did not mention any changes to the management arrangement nor clearly state whether exiting the board implies a complete withdrawal from the fund.
The U.S. Treasury Department did not immediately respond to requests for comments from Reuters.
At the COP28 United Nations Climate Summit in 2023, nearly 200 countries agreed to initiate the “Loss and Damage” fund aimed at assisting developing countries in coping with the increasing extreme weather events.
According to the United Nations data as of January 23rd, wealthy countries have pledged $741 million to the fund, with the U.S. contributing $17.5 million. It is currently unclear whether the U.S. will fulfill this commitment.
President Trump has taken several measures to terminate U.S. support for climate change since taking office in January this year.
The Trump administration has halted U.S. scientists’ participation in global climate assessments, withdrawn funding agreements to help countries reduce coal usage, and once again signed executive orders for the U.S. to exit the Paris Climate Agreement.
Trump views climate change as a “hoax,” stating that the Paris Climate Accord undermines the interests of the U.S. and its business, labor, people, and taxpayers. He believes that this global carbon emissions reduction plan is unenforceable and a gift to communist China and other major polluters.