The United States’ likely absence from the upcoming COP30 is a “watershed moment,” according to EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra.
“We’re talking about the largest, the most dominant, most important geopolitical player from the whole world. It is the second-largest emitter,” Hoekstra told Bloomberg in an interview published Sunday.
“So if a player of that magnitude basically says, ‘Well, I’m going to leave and have it all sorted out by the rest of you,’ clearly, that does damage,” he added, noting however that some U.S. mayors and governors remained committed to green policies.
The COP30 climate conference will start Nov. 10 in the Amazon port city of Belém. The Trump administration said it will not send “high-level representatives,” amid Washington’s larger push against climate policies.
