U.S. Withdrawal from Paris Agreement Puts World’s Most Vulnerable Communities at Greater Risk

January 20, 2025

Statement by Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, Mercy Corps Chief Executive Officer

“Today’s announcement by the U.S. government to withdraw from the Paris Agreement is devastating for the future of the planet and those facing the most significant disruption to their lives and livelihoods due to climate change. The decision comes just after 2024 was named the hottest year on record and is a huge step backward at a time when the world urgently needs greater ambition and clear leadership to address the climate crisis, not retreat.

“Climate change is no longer a distant threat; it is a daily reality with devastating impacts for hundreds of millions of people who have contributed the least to climate change — from severe droughts in the Horn of Africa to deadly floods in Pakistan. This withdrawal from the Paris Agreement weakens U.S. commitments both to reduce the emissions driving the climate crisis and to provide climate finance to support the world's most climate-vulnerable communities as they face increasingly frequent and severe weather-related disasters.

“While the U.S. may withdraw from the Paris Agreement, its historical responsibility for climate change – and its moral responsibility to bring down greenhouse gas emissions and support climate-vulnerable communities – will not go away. We will continue to advocate alongside and support communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis and we call on governments, civil society, and the private sector to step up where leadership is lacking and accelerate efforts to reduce emissions, scale up climate finance, and contribute to a climate-resilient future for all people.”

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