Concerned UN agencies reacted sharply on Tuesday to the decrees of the new occupant of the White House, Donald Trump, who ended the United States’ participation in the World Health Organization (WHO) and subsequently withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement. For UN organizations, these decisions have a massive negative impact on public health and efforts to curb global warming.
The blow has been struck. Of course, the WHO deplores this decision and calls on the new US President to reverse his decree signed on Monday, a few hours after his inauguration.
The UN World Health Organization« regrets the announcement of the intention of the United States of America to withdraw from the Organization »Thus expressed on the social network X, the Director-General of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
« The WHO plays a crucial role in protecting the health and safety of populations worldwide, including Americans, by addressing the root causes of disease, strengthening health systems, and detecting, preventing, and responding to health emergencies, including epidemics, often in dangerous places where others cannot go. »,” recalled for his part a WHO spokesperson, Tarik Jašarević, during a regular UN press briefing in Geneva.
For a constructive dialogue, of course, but to prevent a financial earthquake
Donald Trump signed on Monday, January 21, and among the hundreds announced, a decree ending the United States’ membership in the World Health Organization, which thus loses its largest financial contributor.
After this decision and in the manner of a bottle on the sea, the WHO urges the White House « to engage in constructive dialogue to maintain the partnership between the United States and the WHO, for the benefit of the health and well-being of millions of people around the world »", added Tarik Jašarević.
The first step towards the withdrawal of the United States is to receive an official letter from them; after that, the United States would officially leave the organization in a year, while closing the valuable coffers of more than 1.5 billion dollars!
The United States, which had already begun the process of slamming the door on the WHO during Donald Trump’s first term in office in 2020, is the main donor and partner of this Geneva-based UN organization. And by no means the least.
Will the sole argument of «countless lives saved» be enough?
According to the WHO and like all its members, Washington contributes to its funding through a contribution indexed to the national GDP, but also through voluntary contributions. In 2023, this amount was $1.2 billion.
And Donald Trump’s decision is all the more resounding given that the United States was one of the founding members of the WHO in 1948. For more than seven decades, the WHO and the United States have saved countless lives and protected Americans and the entire population from health threats, the agency’s leaders vainly argue.
« Together, we ended smallpox, and together, we brought poliomyelitis to the brink of eradication. American institutions contributed to and benefited from adherence to the WHO. », the spokesperson for the UN agency further emphasized.
It is just that with the participation of its most important funding partner as well as other member states, the WHO has implemented over the last seven years the largest set of reforms in its history in order to transform its responsibility, profitability and impact in the countries.
Climate-friendly born, no surprise about the withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate
And as bad news never comes alone, Donald Trump delivers an additional blow by announcing the withdrawal from the climate agreement.
In response to a question about the White House announcement of the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, a UN spokesperson recalled that this agreement was adopted by all nations of the world in 2015 because they recognize the immense damage that climate change is already causing, and the enormous opportunity that climate action presents.
And for the UN to remind us that the transformation envisioned in the Paris Agreement is already underway. This agreement has triggered an energy revolution, offering countries and companies unparalleled opportunities to invest in renewable energy that fuels jobs and prosperity in the 21st century. This, on paper, is indeed paved with good intentions.
« Leaders must seize these opportunities in this critical decade for climate action », said Alessandra Vellucci, the UN spokesperson in Geneva.« The Secretary-General is convinced that cities, states, and businesses in the United States – as well as other countries – will continue to demonstrate vision and leadership in working towards a low-carbon, resilient economic growth that will create quality jobs and markets for the prosperity of the 21st century. », she always insists to the future, pointing out that it is essential that the United States remain at the forefront of environmental issues.
Is climate change still a major challenge in the face of increasingly strained economies?
The White House announcement comes at a time when the last ten years have been the warmest in history, and 2024 was the warmest year ever recorded, with about 1.55°C more than the pre-industrial era. That is a fact.
« Just look at Los Angeles to see this human, ecological, and economic disaster unfolding. The collective efforts made under the Paris Agreement have made a difference, but we need to go much further and faster together. »", insisted Alessandra Vellucci.
For its part, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) notes that every fraction of a degree of global warming has an impact on our economies and our lives. Climate change must be considered in the long term, and it is a major challenge of our time. But who is to blame?
A way for the Geneva-based agency to emphasize that the need for the Paris Agreement and climate action is stronger than ever.« National governments have a key role to play. The revolution towards renewable energy cannot be stopped », said Clare Nullis, spokesperson for the WMO.
Will these declarations of good intentions, albeit objective, be enough to sway Donald Trump in his protectionist drive? Nothing is less certain.
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