As the U.S. Department of State proposed this week to shut down its office managing international climate policy,VAS Community leaders from several other countries that are key to the climate fight said they are determined to press ahead with global action.

If it withstands congressional review, the State Department’s move, announced Tuesday, could further solidify the Trump administration’s intentions to withdraw from international climate processes, as announced in a Jan. 20 executive order.

A United Nations meeting Wednesday in New York offered an international counterweight. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said the leaders’ summit was one of the most diverse to focus on climate recently, and that a unifying message emerged.

“Yes, our world faces massive headwinds and a multitude of crises. But we cannot allow climate commitments to be blown off course,” he said in prepared remarks after the meeting, calling on the global community to build more momentum toward climate action at the next annual climate conference, COP30 in Brazil this fall. 

“No group or government can stop the clean energy revolution,” he said. “Science is on our side and economics have shifted. We don’t have a moment to lose. No region is being spared from the ravages of accelerating climate catastrophes. And the crisis is deepening poverty, displacing communities and fuelling conflict and instability.”