The State Department has decided to disband the Office of Global Change, the division that handled international climate policy negotiations on behalf of the United States.
Staff members were informed verbally about the closure during a Thursday afternoon meeting, according to three individuals familiar with the matter who requested anonymity due to concerns about professional consequences. The announcement caused confusion and uncertainty within the office, with employees unsure about the timeline for the office’s full dissolution.
“This will hamstring international climate cooperation at the worst possible time,” said one official, referencing the upcoming COP30 global climate summit.
It’s “just strategically … dumb when it comes to China,” the same person added, warning that dismantling the office could leave room for China to assume a dominant role in global climate diplomacy.
A spokesperson for the State Department confirmed the decision, attributing it to the administration’s adherence to President Donald Trump’s policy of disengaging from multilateral climate agreements.
“Consequently, this office — which supported the efforts of previous Administrations to hobble the United States through participation in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) and other agreements purporting to limit [or] prevent climate change, is unnecessary,” the spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
This development follows a broader reorganization of the State Department announced earlier in the week by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
On Tuesday, the department disclosed that it had also dissolved the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate. That office had worked closely with the Office of Global Change, especially in relation to the annual climate summits held to promote the Paris Agreement’s goals.
Although Trump has taken steps to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement itself, the country technically remains a party to the broader United Nations climate framework. It remains unclear whether the U.S. will send any representatives to the COP30 summit scheduled to take place in Brazil this November.
{Matzav.com}