BAKU, Azerbaijan — America’s top climate diplomat John Podesta told foreign officials Monday that the U.S. remains committed to fighting climate change, even if President-elect Donald Trump is not.
His comments came as the implications of last week’s election reverberated through the halls of the global climate talks called COP29, which started on Monday.
“This is not the end of our fight for a cleaner, safer planet. Facts are still facts. Science is still science. The struggle is bigger than one election, one political cycle in one country,” Podesta told reporters.
“While the United States Federal Government under Donald Trump may be putting action on climate change on the back burner, the work to contain climate change in the United States will continue with dedication, passion and faith,” he added .
During his campaign, Trump promised to dismantle environmental standards and withdraw the US from the Paris climate accord for a second time.
“That’s what he said, and we have to believe him,” Podesta said, calling the election results “bitterly disappointing.”
The speech had echoes of 2016, when Trump was first elected as global climate talks were underway in Morocco. But a lot has changed in the world since then. Clean energy has become more attractive and affordable in many countries, and China has gained global dominance in building green technology.
The US has passed legislation aimed at building out clean energy production facilities, creating jobs and fulfilling its pledges to reduce climate pollution.
Podesta outlined the progress President Joe Biden’s administration has made to shift the U.S. energy system away from polluting fossil fuels and inject hundreds of billions of dollars into the fight to reduce climate pollution.
“Precisely because the IRA has enduring power, I am confident that the United States will continue to reduce emissions, which will benefit both our country and the world,” Podesta said.
He urged the private sector to make even greater investments in clean energy innovation. He also highlighted the role that states, cities and others can play in driving climate action.
U.S. influence in this year’s climate talks will diminish because negotiators represent an outgoing administration. Many countries want Trump to withdraw from global cooperation as soon as he enters the White House.
Podesta acknowledged U.S. shortcomings in the international fight against climate change. “I know this disappointment is harder to tolerate as the danger becomes more and more catastrophic,” he said of the election.
He also tried to highlight the work the US still plans to do. The US will host a summit with China on Tuesday to tackle methane and other climate pollutants. The focus of this year’s talks is on coming up with a new climate aid target to help developing countries tackle rising temperatures.
Podesta said the Biden administration is also fully committed to allocating IRA funding, saying the administration has already agreed to provide $98 billion. The US will also finalize guidelines for tax incentives for investments related to clean energy and clean hydrogen production.
“There is still a lot of work to be done,” Podesta said. “Our team is here to make sure the work gets done.”
