US shuts down Office of Global Change, raising concerns ahead of COP30

The U.S. State Department has announced the elimination of the Office of Global Change, which has been responsible for overseeing international climate change negotiations.

The decision, communicated to staff on April 24, has sparked confusion and raised concerns among employees about the future of U.S. involvement in global climate efforts, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The move, confirmed by a State Department spokesperson, is part of a broader effort to align with President Donald Trump’s directives to scale back U.S. participation in international climate agreements. The spokesperson emphasised that the office, which supported previous administrations’ engagement in agreements like the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, was now deemed "unnecessary."

"This will hamstring international climate cooperation at the worst possible time," one official said, expressing concern that the absence of U.S. leadership could leave a significant vacuum, particularly with global climate talks like COP30 approaching. Another official criticised the move as "strategically dumb" in the context of China's increasing influence on climate negotiations, warning that the void left by the U.S. could be filled by China.

The announcement follows a broader reorganisation of the State Department, which also saw the elimination of the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, a position created to lead U.S. efforts in climate diplomacy and to work alongside the Office of Global Change. This office had been instrumental in annual climate talks, particularly those aimed at fulfilling the goals of the Paris Agreement, which President Trump has previously sought to withdraw from.

It remains unclear whether the U.S. will send a delegation to COP30, scheduled for November in Brazil. The move marks a significant shift in the U.S. approach to international climate change policy, raising questions about the country’s role in global efforts to address the climate crisis.

By Vugar Khalilov