The UN regrets that the US withdrew from global cooperation on health and climate change agreements
“Female WHO regrets the announcement that the United States of America intends to withdraw from the Organization…We hope the US will reconsiderWHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said, hours after the new President signed an executive order at the White House, ending US participation in the United Nations agency after 12 months.
The United States joined the WHO in 1948 after a joint resolution was passed by both houses of Congress. The resolution requires the country to give one year’s notice to leave the organization.
President Trump took steps to withdraw from the WHO in 2020 during his first term – but the move was reversed by the Biden administration.
Answering a reporter’s question in Geneva, Mr. Jasarevic affirmed WHO “play an important role in protecting the health and security of the world’s people, including Americans, by addressing the root causes of disease, building stronger health systems, and detecting, preventing and responding to health emergencies, including disease outbreaks , often in dangerous places that others cannot reach.”
When asked about the impact of the US withdrawal, Mr. Jasarevic pointed out that he saw the executive order “this morning like everyone else” and would need further analysis. He affirmed that the US is the WHO’s largest donor, accounting for 18% of the agency’s budget by 2023.
Also in Geneva, the United Nations humanitarian affairs office (OCHA) Spokesperson Jens Laerke emphasized the importance of the UN health agency, saying “the world lives longer, healthier, perhaps a little happier thanks to WHO”.
“WHO is in places others can’t go, including Gaza, Yemen, Afghanistan and Sudan,” Mr. Laerke said. “This is an indispensable part of the international humanitarian system,” he emphasized.
Climate shock
From the United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO), spokeswoman Clare Nullis reacts to President Trump’s widely adopted 2015 vow to renounce Paris Agreement – marks an immediate return to the policies of his first presidential term, which ended in January 2021.
The need for all countries to respect the agreement is “quite clear”, she said, as 2024 “is the hottest year on record” with temperatures about 1.55°C above pre-industrial times. “That is the clear challenge of our time,” she emphasized.
Following the recent devastating and deadly massive wildfires that occurred in Los Angeles, a WMO spokesperson also noted that The United States has borne the brunt of the global economic damage from weather, climate, and water-related hazards..
“It has suffered 403 weather and climate disasters since 1980 in which total damages/costs reached or exceeded 1 billion USD. According to US data, the total cost of these 403 events exceeded 2.915 trillion USD.
Her comments echoed those made by the Office of the United Nations Spokesperson late Monday, which in response to questions from journalists emphasized that “the transition envisaged in the Paris Agreement is already underway”, with a renewable “energy revolution” bringing opportunities for jobs and prosperity.
“The Secretary General remains confident that cities, states, and businesses in the United States – along with other countries – will continue to demonstrate vision and leadership by working toward economic growth low-carbon and resilient to create quality jobs and markets for a prosperous 21st century,” the statement continued.
“Importantly, the United States remains a leader on environmental issues,” it concluded.
