US President Trump was not expected to personally attend the UN climate conference taking place from November 10th to 21st in Belém, Brazil. Under the right-wing populist, the USA, the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has again withdrawn from the Paris climate protection agreement. During his first term in office from 2017 to 2021, the Republican canceled the climate protection agreement, which was intended to limit the global temperature increase to less than two degrees compared to the pre-industrial era. Rather, Trump is committed to greater production of oil and gas.
Instead of high-ranking government officials from Washington, more than a hundred representatives from US states and cities want to travel to the world climate conference, including governors and mayors. “We are making a strong appearance,” said the co-chair of the “America is All in” alliance, Gina McCarthy, on Thursday.
The group represents about “two-thirds of the U.S. population and three-quarters of the gross domestic product, and more than 50 percent of U.S. emissions,” McCarthy said. The now 71-year-old was national climate advisor under President Joe Biden and headed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under President Barack Obama.
“We will keep the promises we made to the American people and our international colleagues,” McCarthy said. She referred to a climate alliance of 24 US states that have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by around a quarter compared to 2005.
