US exits board of climate fund that aids poor nations

The US, the largest historical emitter of greenhouse gases, has withdrawn from the Board of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage, a move that could significantly hamper an internationally agreed initiative to help poorer countries deal with the harms of the climate crisis.

- Jayashree Nandi

NEW DELHI:

Developing country negotiators and climate activists shared a letter from the Department of the Treasury dated March 4, which said that the US is informing Jean Christophe Donnellier, developed country co-chair of the Fund, of its withdrawal. Both the US Board member and Alternate Board member will be stepping down immediately, it informed.

The US is the second largest carbon dioxide emitter in the world currently (after China), but historically remains the largest polluter. The US is responsible for 20% of historical CO2 emissions globally between 1850 and 2022, with per capita emissions of 18 tCO2e/capita compared to the global average of 4.7 tCO2e/capita, according to the UN Environment Programme's Emissions Gap report of 2024.