The United Nations has expressed regret over the United States’ decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) and its renewed stance against the 2015 Paris Agreement.
WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic confirmed the withdrawal, stating the U.S.—WHO’s largest donor, contributing 18% of its 2023 budget—has provided the required one-year notice. He emphasized the organization’s vital role in global health, including in conflict zones like Gaza, Yemen, and Sudan.
UN humanitarian affairs spokesperson Jens Laerke echoed this sentiment, calling WHO “indispensable” to international health efforts.
Separately, the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) criticized the U.S. decision to abandon the Paris Agreement amid record global temperatures. WMO spokesperson Clare Nullis highlighted the U.S.’s disproportionate economic losses from climate disasters, totaling $2.915 trillion since 1980.
The UN Secretary-General urged American cities, states, and businesses to continue advancing renewable energy and low-carbon growth despite federal actions, stressing the U.S.’s crucial role in combating climate change.
