Philanthropist and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is supporting the United Nations climate body after President Donald Trump withdrew funding.
As Reuters reported, Bloomberg Philanthropies stepped in to fill a gap left by the U.S. government's withdrawal from international climate collaboration. Bloomberg's commitment came shortly after Trump withdrew from the Paris climate agreement.
Previously, the U.S. funded about 21% of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change's budget. The UN uses these funds to facilitate annual climate negotiations among around 200 countries and implement agreements made during these talks.
With federal funding eliminated, Bloomberg committed to working with cities, states, and companies so that the U.S. can keep up with its climate obligations and contribute to the UN's efforts.
Bloomberg Philanthropies has yet to share how much funding it will provide to the UN or what other funders will join the effort. Last year, Bloomberg Philanthropies contributed $4.5 million to the UN's climate work. Michael Bloomberg serves on a U.N. special envoy on climate change.
Bloomberg said, "From 2017 to 2020, during a period of federal inaction, cities, states, businesses, and the public rose to the challenge to uphold our nation's commitments — and now, we are ready to do it again."
The UN's climate change body is already experiencing a budget shortfall, which is disrupting world climate dialogue. To fill the gap left by the federal U.S. government, some U.S. states are also stepping up to contribute to international climate talks.
These talks are crucial because they unite world leaders to address environmental challenges collaboratively. They are platforms for negotiations and strategizing about ways to reduce pollution, transition to clean energy, and protect our planet.
International climate summits are also useful for holding countries accountable for their sustainability goals and inspiring policy changes. Discussions and agreements often lead to impactful steps toward mitigating the effects of our overheating planet to benefit public health and the environment.
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Yes — very soon ☀️ According to a Bloomberg press release, UN climate change executive secretary Simon Stiell commented, "While government funding remains essential to our mission, contributions like this are vital in enabling the UN Climate Change secretariat to support countries in fulfilling their commitments under the Paris Agreement and a low-emission, resilient, and safer future for everyone."
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Former White House National climate advisor Gina McCarthy said, "Since the Trump administration has failed once again to meet the moment, Mike Bloomberg is showing what real leadership looks like. His support will ensure the United States does not abandon its international commitments to fight climate change and expand our clean energy economy."
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