US Withdraws from UN Climate Damage Fund Board

The Trump administration's decision to exit the fund jeopardizes financial support for vulnerable nations facing climate change impacts.

The United States has withdrawn from the board of the UN Loss and Damage Fund, which was established to assist poorer nations in addressing irreversible climate-related harms.
The decision, announced via a letter from the US Treasury Department, is effective immediately and leaves the board without US representation.
The Loss and Damage Fund, operational since January 2025, was created after years of negotiation to compensate developing countries for climate-related disasters such as droughts, floods, and rising sea levels.
Critics, including climate activists and international negotiators, have condemned the move, citing the US's status as the largest historical greenhouse gas emitter and its responsibility for addressing global climate damage.
The US had pledged $17.5 million to the fund, a small fraction of the $741 million pledged by other countries, raising questions about whether it will honor this commitment.