FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
7 March 2025
The United States has withdrawn from the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), international climate financing models backed by rich nations to help developing countries transition away from coal towards renewable energy sources.
Speaking at United Nations headquarters in New York on Wednesday, Brazil’s COP30 President André Aranha Corrêa do Lago emphasized the importance of multilateralism and “deep, rapid and sustained cooperation among all countries” to tackle climate change.
Namrata Chowdhary, 350.org Chief of Public Engagement says:
“By turning its back on international climate financing, the U.S. is failing its moral obligation as a historic polluter, abandoning the global community, and shirking its share of our collective responsibility to help each other mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis.
Climate finance isn’t just a promise—it’s a lifeline for our planet and its people, and it is an indispensable component of the just energy transition. Global climate finance relies on public funds and grants as a way to keep justice centered, and protect the energy transition from becoming yet another opportunity for extractive corporate business practices.
Multilateralism is essential, now more than ever. As we approach COP30 in Brazil, the world cannot afford to let wealthy nations off the hook. The climate crisis won’t wait, and neither can we. We must ensure that funds flow to where they are needed most: at the frontlines of the climate crisis.”
Savio Carvalho, 350.org Head of Regions says:
“The U.S. withdrawal from its Just Energy Transition Partnership agreements is a stark failure to take responsibility for its role as one of the world’s biggest polluters walking away from supporting solutions to the historic mess it is responsible for.
These deals are not just about money—they’re about justice, trust, and a shared future. While the partnerships will continue, this retreat makes the process harder, slower, and more costly for developing countries relying on grants to transition to clean energy. Leadership isn’t just making promises; it’s keeping them. The world deserves better, and the U.S. must do better.”
The rolling back of climate finance commitments by the world’s richest country is deeply concerning for the future of our planet and communities amid escalating climate chaos and growing economic inequality. But the retreat of the US from its international obligations should not prevent world leaders from channeling critical finance to the world’s most climate-impacted nations.
Norly Mercado, 350.org Asia Regional Director says:
“Big polluters like the United States are financially obligated to support climate-vulnerable nations. Indeed, the US exit from the JETP sets a dangerous precedent and signals to the rest of the world that the US will no longer be accountable to its climate obligations.
However, this should not be used as an excuse for developing nations such as Indonesia and Vietnam to delay their own commitments to phase out coal, and accelerate the shift to cleaner renewable energy sources. Money exists to fund Asia’s clean energy future–but it’s concentrated in the hands of billionaires and big polluters. Now more than ever, governments must demonstrate leadership and cooperation in solving the climate crisis by redirecting billionaire wealth to community-led renewable energy.”
Launched during the UN climate talks in 2021, South Africa was the first country to secure a JETP agreement, with Indonesia securing a partnership during its hosting of the G20 Summit in 2022. Vietnam and Senegal later received their own deals.
Landry Ninteretse, 350Africa’s Regional Director, says:
“By withdrawing from the JETP, the United States is abandoning its responsibility to support countries like South Africa, which are on the frontlines of the climate crisis and who will now face an even steeper climb in achieving its clean energy commitments. This is a regressive step, and a betrayal of the trust placed in wealthy nations to honor their financial obligations towards the global transition to clean energy. The US must recognize that climate justice requires concrete, sustained support for developing nations, not retreat from multilateral commitments.”
This news comes on the heels of the announcement earlier this year that the United States’ plans to exit the Paris Agreement. While the nominal financial pledges of JETP deals remain unchanged, the retreat of the US will impact the issuance of grants and transition studies.
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