US rescinds UN climate fund pledges

Market: Emissions
10/02/25

The US has canceled about $4bn in pledged money to the UN's Green Climate Fund, the latest sign a sharp policy shift under President Donald Trump.

The State Department late last week said the US "has rescinded outstanding pledges to the Green Climate Fund," but did not provide any further details.

The US under former presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama had pledged about $6bn combined to the GCF, with the most recent commitment announced at the Cop 28 climate talks in Dubai. But the two administrations were able to deliver only $2bn of the funding.

The cancellation of the GCF pledges is just the latest step by Trump to quickly reverse course for US climate and clean energy policies. Among his first acts after taking office last month Trump ordered the US to exit the Paris climate agreement and to pause spending on renewable energy projects. In addition, secretary of state Marco Rubio said the US would stop engaging in climate diplomacy.

The GCF finances projects in developing and emerging countries with a focus on mitigation, adaptation and resilience efforts, such as climate-friendly agricultural methods, reforestation or coastal protection. It operates under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and was originally capitalized with $10.3bn in 2015. In two replenishment rounds since then, it has gathered more than $20bn in additional pledges.

The fund has to date approved nearly $16bn for project in more than 130 countries and expects to approve another $3bn-worth this year.

The fund said it "remains determined" to help developing countries achieve the highest level of ambition possible.

"If pledges are not fully realized, our ability to support the climate ambitions of developing countries will be constrained," the GCF said.

Finance for developing countries has been a major issue at UN climate talks. At last year's Cop 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, countries agreed to a "new collective quantified goal" of "at least" $300bn/yr for developing countries by 2035, with developing countries "taking the lead." The goal is meant to build on the $100bn/yr that developed countries agreed to deliver over 2020-25. The finance will come from "a wide variety of sources, public and private, bilateral and multilateral, including alternative sources".

By Michael Ball

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11/03/25

EU consults on decarbonisation, clean tech aid

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Trump to declare power 'emergency' in some states

11/03/25

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11/03/25

Trump to declare power 'emergency' in some states

Washington, 11 March (Argus) — President Donald Trump said today he intends to declare a "National Emergency on Electricity" in states that could be affected by Ontario's imposition of a 25pc surcharge on electricity exports and further threat to cut off exports entirely. The emergency declaration will allow the US to alleviate the "abusive threat" from losing electricity imports from Canada, Trump wrote in a post on social media. Trump said in response to the surcharge, he would double existing tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum , and warned Canada that it would pay a high cost if Ontario cuts off the flow of electricity to the US. "Can you imagine Canada stooping so low as to use ELECTRICITY, that so affects the life of innocent people, as a bargaining chip and threat?" Trump wrote. "They will pay a financial price for this so big that it will be read about in History Books for many years to come!" On Monday, Ontario put a 25pc fee on its electricity exports to New York, Michigan and Minnesota in response to Trump's tariffs on Canada. Ontario premier Doug Ford said he was applying "maximum pressure" on the US over its tariff war, and threatened to cut off exports entirely if Trump increased tariffs further. Ontario was the largest exporter of electricity to the US in 2023, sending 15.2 TWh to the US. Trump already declared a national energy emergency on 20 January, unlocking emergency authorities to fast-track permitting and seek to retain production of baseload power plants. Trump has yet to offer more details on the electricity emergency, but the US Department of Energy (DOE) can issue emergency orders that would allow power plants to run at maximum capacity or waive some environmental regulations. DOE did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The New York Independent System Operator, which runs the state's electric grid, said it was analyzing the effects of Ontario's orders and expects to have "adequate reserves to meet reliability criteria and forecast demand for New York." By Chris Knight Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Oil sector climate 'problem' is resolved: Al-Jaber

11/03/25

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11/03/25

Oil sector climate 'problem' is resolved: Al-Jaber

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Brazil ignores fossil fuel phase-out in Cop 30 letter

10/03/25

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10/03/25

Brazil ignores fossil fuel phase-out in Cop 30 letter

Sao Paulo, 10 March (Argus) — Climate activists welcomed Brazil's stance of making the UN Cop 30 summit a "turning point" for real climate change commitments but criticized the presidency's letter for turning a blind eye to fossil fuels' leading role in global warming. The summit's president Andre Correa do Lago released on Monday a letter addressing the event's goals and outlooks, which includes boosting climate financing to $1.3 trillion/yr from the target stipulated at Cop 29 of $300bn/yr. "Lago calls on foreign countries — especially the US — to leave individuality and irresponsibility behind in exchange for cooperation and our planet's future," scientist Karin Bruning — a graduate of the University of Heidelberg and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology — said. "However, the letter has no use if Brazil does not pull its own weight." Bruning recalled Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's public feud with the country's environmentalist watchdog Ibama regarding the exploration in Brazil's equatorial margin region. "A country with so much renewable energy available cannot look at past solutions such as exploring and pushing for fossil fuels," Bruning said. She also highlighted the importance of respecting technical and scientific decisions on matters such as oil exploration. Environmental concerns have always been at the center of the equatorial margin debate, as it stands near a freshwater barrier reef. State-controlled Petrobras has long been trying to explore the area's Foz do Amazonas basin — which holds an estimated 10bn bl of crude, according to energy research bureau Epe — but has struggled to receive the environment licenses to do so. Ibama last denied the company a request to drill in the area in May 2023. Brazilian climate think tank Observatorio do Clima called the letter "inspiring," but added that it "excludes the elephant in the room." It recognized the letter as a "relief for giving the Paris Agreement negotiations to professionals who understand the gravity of the moment" but bashed it for keeping fossil fuels' gradual stoppage out of Cop 30's priorities list. Still, Correa do Lago's letter recognized "the scale of the challenge and the urgency of response," according to climate change think-tank E3G's associate director Kaysie Brown. Holding on to past pledges Correa do Lago's letter focused on progressing previous decisions regarding developing countries and increasing financing for them, which has long been one of the Brazilian government's priorities. This includes working on a roadmap to reach $1.3 trillion/yr in climate finance from all sources by 2035, as agreed at Cop 29 in Baku. But previous Cop agreements and the conclusions of the first global stocktake in Dubai (GST) — a five-yearly checkpoint agreed upon in the 2015 Paris accord — on energy were ignored and pushed back against in Baku's final text. "We do have pending issues to solve at Cop 30, notably the UAE dialogue on implementing the GST outcomes and the just transition work programme," Correa do Lago said. "The GST is an invaluable legacy that unites us. We must all continue to subscribe to it as the ultimate benchmark for climate implementation." By Maria Frazatto Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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California lawmakers in new push for E15 blend

07/03/25

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07/03/25

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