Former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has urged Donald Trump to return to global efforts to fight climate change.
The White House has claimed “climate goals” are “killing other countries and would have killed America” without Mr Trump’s intervention.
Speaking to Sky News before the COP30 climate talks, which start today in Brazil, Mr Ban said: “The climate crisis does not care where you are living, [whether in] United States or China or European countries.
“If we live together, we all live. If we die, we all die together.”
Former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon. Pic: Reuters
He called it “deeply regrettable” that the US – which is the “most powerful, most resourceful, and most influential country” – is withdrawing from the Paris Agreement for the second time.
The landmark pact, struck at COP21 in 2015, is the world’s most significant and only legally binding climate treaty.
It aims to limit warming to 1.5C-2C above pre-industrial levels, and obliges countries to produce climate plans every five years detailing how they will deliver on their share of the bargain.
Yesterday, the COP30 host team of Brazilians said 108 have now been submitted – meaning more than a third are still missing.
Mr Ban, who was UN chief at the time of the Paris talks, said rich Western states, not just America, need to step up.
“They must show their strongest possible leadership and the number one priority. This is only one earth we have. We don’t have any other place to move.”
The former UN chief now heads up the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens, which works with decision-makers to implement the Paris Agreement and UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
The US is the world’s biggest economy and the second-largest climate polluter after China.
Read more:
Are climate summits saving the world – or just hot air?
US may soon have an energy emergency
Why COP30 is so controversial
2025 set to be among hottest ever
The fight to save the Amazon
Mr Ban said: “The whole world is now awaiting for the United States to demonstrate their political leadership at this critical time. That’s my honest appeal to the United States president.”
Donald Trump is not sending any “high-level” officials to COP30.
But the White House has been coy about whether other representatives like negotiators will attend.
White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told Sky News: “The Green New Scam would have killed America if President Trump had not been elected to implement his common sense energy agenda – which is focused on utilising the liquid gold under our feet to strengthen our grid stability and drive down costs for American families and businesses.
“President Trump will not jeopardise our country’s economic and national security to pursue vague climate goals that are killing other countries.”
