Statement of Nathaniel Keohane
President, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
January 7, 2026
On the intended U.S. withdrawal from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC):
“When President George H. W. Bush brought the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to the U.S. Senate in 1992 for its advice and consent, the Senate approved the treaty without debate, with the support of Republicans and Democrats alike, and the United States became the first industrialized country to ratify the agreement. What was true then remains true today, and will remain true in the future: leading on international climate action is in America’s interests.
“Being at the table in the UN climate talks gives the United States the opportunity and influence to shape the direction of multilateral cooperation on climate change so that it reflects American interests and priorities. Retreating will only isolate the United States further, undermine our global stature with allies around the globe, and cede the field to China.
“The administration says that the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and other multilateral organizations ‘no longer serve American interests.’ But the UNFCCC has not changed. American interests have not changed. The only thing that has changed is the cheapened and narrowed way that this administration misconstrues those interests. For the first time in well over a century, we have an administration that prefers the raw exercise of force to the enduring power and influence derived from American leadership in the world.”
Statement of Kaveh Guilanpour
Vice President for International Strategies, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
January 7, 2026
On U.S. withdrawal from UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC):
“It is unfortunate that the United States has announced its intention to withhold participation in and funding from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
“The United States was a founding Party to the Convention and has been a member for over thirty years. If the United States formally withdraws it would be the only UN Member State that is not a Party to the Convention.
“It is sad to attend international meetings and see an empty space where the United States should be. This is harmful to the world, because the enormous energy, innovation, and authority of the United States is missed. It is also harmful to the United States, because it is not at the table when all 197 other countries are shaping the world’s future.
“C2ES alongside our partners will strongly make the case that it is better for the United States to be in the Paris Agreement and UNFCCC than out of it, even as we continue to forge ahead to drive more effective international cooperation on climate and clean energy among the rest of the world.”
To reach a C2ES expert, contact Tim Carroll at press@c2es.org.
About C2ES: The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) works to secure a safe and stable climate, by accelerating the global transition to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and a thriving, just, and resilient economy. Learn more at www.c2es.org.
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