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BAKU, Azerbaijan — America’s top climate diplomat John Podesta told foreign officials Monday that the U.S. remains committed to fighting climate change, even if President-elect Donald Trump isn’t.
His comments came as the implications of last week’s election reverberate through the hallways of the global climate talks called COP29, which began Monday.
“This is not the end of our fight for a cleaner, safer planet. Facts are still facts. Science is still science. The fight is bigger than one election, one political cycle in one country,” Podesta told reporters.
“While the United States federal government under Donald Trump may put climate change action on the back burner, the work to contain climate change is going to continue in the United States with commitment and passion and belief,” he added.
On the campaign trail, Trump promised to dismantle environmental standards and withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement for the second time.
“That is what he has said, and we should believe him,” Podesta said, calling the election results “bitterly disappointing.”
The speech had echoes of 2016, when Trump was first elected as global climate talks were underway in Morocco. But much has changed in the world since then. Clean energy has become more attractive and affordable in many countries, and China has gained global dominance in building green technology.
The U.S. has passed legislation aimed at building out clean energy manufacturing facilities, creating jobs and achieving its pledges to slash climate pollution.
Podesta outlined the progress that President Joe Biden’s administration has made to shift the U.S. energy system away from polluting fossil fuels and inject hundreds of billions of dollars into the fight to lower its climate pollution.
“It is precisely because the IRA has staying power that I’m confident that the United States will continue to reduce emissions, benefiting our own country and benefiting the world,” Podesta said.
He urged the private sector to make even bigger investments in clean energy innovation. He also highlighted the role states, cities and others can play in driving climate action.
U.S. influence at the climate talks this year will be diminished since negotiators represent an outgoing government. Many countries are girding for Trump to retreat from global cooperation once he enters the White House.
Podesta acknowledged U.S. shortcomings in the international fight against climate change. “I know that this disappointment is more difficult to tolerate as the danger to be faced ever more catastrophic,” he said of the election.
He also sought to highlight work the U.S. still intends to do. The U.S. will co-host a summit with China Tuesday to address methane and other climate pollutants. The focus of this year’s talks is to come up with a new target for climate aid to help developing nations tackle rising temperatures.
Podesta said the Biden administration was also fully committed to awarding IRA funding, saying the government has already agreed to provide $98 billion. The U.S. will also finalize guidance for investment tax credits related to clean energy production and clean hydrogen.
“There is still plenty of work to do,” Podesta said. “Our team is here to make sure that work gets done.”
