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STORY: UN / US PARIS AGREEMENT WITHDRAWAL AND AID PAUSE
TRT: 02:21
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 27-28 JANUARY 2025, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE – NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, United Nations headquarters
28 JANUARY 2025, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, press briefing room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, United Nations:
“A number of you have asked me about a letter from the United States concerning the Paris Climate Agreement, and I can confirm to you that the United States has notified the Secretary-General, in his capacity as depositary, of its withdrawal, on 27 January of this year, from the Paris Agreement which as you will recall was agreed to on 12 December 2015. The United States had signed the Paris Agreement on 22 April 2016 and expressed its consent to be bound by the Agreement by acceptance on 3 September 2016. It then withdrew from the Agreement effective on 4 November 2020, before accepting it again as of 19 February 2021. According to Article 28, paragraph 2, of the Paris Agreement, the withdrawal of the United States will take effect on 27 January 2026. We reaffirm our commitment to the Paris Agreement and to support all effective efforts to limit the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius.”
4. Wide shot, journalists
27 JANUARY 2025, NEW YORK CITY
5. Wide shot, spokesperson at the dais
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, United Nations:
“And also, I have a statement to share with you regarding the US’ decision to pause foreign assistance. The Secretary-General notes with concern the announcement of a pause in U.S. foreign assistance. He calls for additional exemptions to be considered to ensure the continued delivery of critical development and humanitarian activities for the most vulnerable communities around the world, whose lives and livelihoods depend on this support. The Secretary-General looks forward to engaging with the new United States administration on the provision of much needed development support to people grappling with the most difficult challenges confronting the developing world. The United States is one of the largest aid providers and it is vital that we work constructively to jointly shape a strategic path forward.”
7. Wide shot, end of press briefing
The United Nations expressed concern over recent actions by the United States, including its formal notification of withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement and a pause on foreign assistance, citing potential global impacts.
“The United States has notified the Secretary-General, in his capacity as depositary, of its withdrawal, on 27 January of this year, from the Paris Agreement,” said Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, at a press briefing today (28 Jan).
The U.S. decision marks another shift in its stance on the global climate pact. Dujarric outlined the timeline, noting the initial 2016 ratification, the 2020 withdrawal, the 2021 re-entry, and now the notification of a second withdrawal, which will take effect on 27 January 2026.
Despite this move, the UN reaffirmed its commitment to the Paris Agreement and emphasized its goal of limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. “We reaffirm our commitment to the Paris Agreement and to support all effective efforts,” Dujarric said.
Earlier, the UN addressed the U.S. announcement to pause foreign assistance, which could have wide-ranging implications for global development and humanitarian aid.
“The Secretary-General notes with concern the announcement of a pause in U.S. foreign assistance,” Dujarric stated. The Secretary-General called for exemptions to ensure critical support reaches vulnerable communities, adding, “The United States is one of the largest aid providers, and it is vital that we work constructively to jointly shape a strategic path forward.”
The UN underscored its readiness to engage with the new U.S. administration to address these challenges, emphasizing the importance of development and humanitarian efforts for the world’s most vulnerable populations.
