The US has pulled out of an upcoming meeting of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in China, following President Donald Trump’s decision to exit the Paris Agreement for the second time.
The IPCC, a group of over 500 scientists and government representatives from around the world, is set to meet in China from February 24-28 to determine the scope and focus of its next series of reports. However, due to US withdrawal, the State Department delegation’s plans to attend have been denied.
Additionally, NASA has terminated its contract for technical support, which means it will not be traveling to China or providing support to the IPCC process moving forward. The US had an obligation to provide technical support, but will now be absent from the meeting.
This move could be a sign of a bigger withdrawal from US involvement in international climate science work, following Trump’s previous decision to pull out of the Paris Agreement. However, unlike his first term, this is the second time Trump has made this move, indicating a growing trend under his presidency.
The IPCC’s reports have been highly influential, and its 2018 report on limiting global warming to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels helped spur a global youth protest movement to act more quickly. The group’s next series of reports are expected to be completed by 2029.
Chinese government representatives, UN climate officials, and delegations from over 195 other member nations will attend the meeting, marking a significant moment for international cooperation on climate change.
Source: https://www.axios.com/2025/02/20/us-delegation-pulled-climate-science-meeting