Trump Excluded from 'Climate Summit', Xi Jinping Praised

Xi Jinping Invited, Trump Excluded at UN Climate Summit on the 23rd
United Nations Openly Praises China

Chinese President Xi Jinping is speaking at the United Nations Climate Summit held on the 23rd, Korea time. Photo by UN

The United States is losing its footing at international climate conferences. The Trump administration's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement and its encouragement of fossil fuel use have led to the U.S. government being excluded from meetings. In contrast, China is aiming for a leadership role in the international climate community by promoting 'multilateralism' and 'eco-friendliness'.

According to the 2050 Carbon Neutral Green Growth Committee on April 25, the United Nations (UN) Climate Summit was held virtually at 9 p.m. Korea time on the 23rd. This summit was convened ahead of the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, scheduled for November in Brazil. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres co-hosted the event to establish the 2035 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and to rally global climate action.

According to a government official, the invitation to this event was led by UN Secretary-General Guterres. The major G20 countries, ASEAN, and leading African nations were invited, but the United States was not. This means that the United States, the most influential country in international organizations, was openly excluded from the meeting. An official who observed the meeting commented, "It is certainly a diplomatic discourtesy," but added, "Since President Trump declared the withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, it seems they judged that his participation would not align with the purpose of the event."

President Donald Trump attended the indoor presidential inauguration parade event held in Washington on the 20th (local time) and is holding the signed document of the executive order withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement. Photo by AFP

President Trump, upon taking office as the 47th President of the United States on January 20, immediately signed an executive order to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement. President Trump had previously withdrawn from the agreement during his first term in 2017. He then began to promote fossil fuel production under the slogan 'Drill Baby Drill'. Policies for a transition to clean energy were thoroughly re-examined, and targets for greenhouse gas reduction, standards for fine dust emissions, and obligations and regulations for climate risk disclosure were all significantly relaxed.

This summit featured messages that appeared to criticize the U.S. stance. Secretary-General Guterres stated after the meeting, "We cannot allow commitments on climate change to falter." He also emphasized, "No organization or government can stop the clean energy revolution," and added, "Science is on our side, and the economy has changed." Regarding the purpose of the summit, he explained, "It is to remind leaders that climate remains a top priority and that cooperation and multilateralism are still essential." These remarks were interpreted as being directed at the United States, which has been emphasizing fossil fuels and a policy of national self-interest.

The void left by the United States was filled by China. President Xi Jinping attended the summit in person and was the first to deliver opening remarks. President Xi also appeared to criticize the United States. Without mentioning the U.S. directly, he stated, "Some major countries persist in unilateralism and protectionism, seriously impacting international rules and order," and added, "We will continue to advance all progressive efforts." He further pledged, "No matter how the world changes, we will not slow our response to climate change, nor will we reduce our support for international cooperation."

At a press conference held after the UN Climate Summit on the 23rd Korea time, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is speaking. Photo by UN

Secretary-General Guterres responded positively to China's message. Immediately after the summit, he told reporters, "China stated that its NDC plan would cover all sectors of the economy and all greenhouse gases," and praised, "This is the first time China has made this clear, and it is extremely important for climate action."

Meanwhile, Korea was represented at the summit by Acting President Han Ducksoo. Han stated, "The international community is facing a complex crisis, with food security, economic inequality, and regional conflicts arising from heatwaves, floods, and rising sea levels," and stressed, "We must continue to strengthen international cooperation and multilateralism centered on the Paris Climate Agreement." Han also explained the Korean government's expansion of official development assistance (ODA) and pledged to continue climate cooperation with developing countries.