Media: State Department eliminates bureau that oversaw climate negotiations

US State Department closes key climate negotiations unit

As reported by TUT.AZ with reference to Politico, the US State Department has decided to eliminate the Bureau of Global Change, which was responsible for international climate negotiations.

Staff members of the unit learned about the upcoming elimination on the evening of April 24, however, the specific timeline for the bureau's closure remains unknown. A State Department representative confirmed the information, explaining that the decision was made as part of implementing President Donald Trump's directive to withdraw the US from international climate agreements.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio's initiative has sparked a wave of outrage among bureau employees. "This will undermine international cooperation on climate at the worst possible time," said one of the publication's sources, pointing to the upcoming COP30 climate conference scheduled for November in Brazil. The source characterized the decision as "strategically damn stupid," warning that the resulting vacuum in international climate policy could be filled by China.

Additionally, Politico reports on attempts by the Trump administration to pressure the International Energy Agency to stop publishing research demonstrating the advantages of renewable energy sources over fossil fuels. European countries oppose this approach. According to an unnamed European official, "the US has been behaving unconstructively at the board of governors meetings lately."