Trump calls climate change a ‘con job’ as leaders of drowning nations watch at the UN

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Associated Press or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: At the United Nations General Assembly, President Donald Trump delivered a speech denouncing climate change as “the greatest con job ever perpetrated,” dismissing global scientific consensus and warning countries against what he called the “green scam”
• His remarks came as leaders from vulnerable nations—many facing existential climate threats—listened in silence, highlighting the widening chasm between U.S. rhetoric and international climate urgency

🔭 The context: Trump’s administration has withdrawn the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, rolled back environmental protections, and imposed tariffs on clean energy components
• His UN address continued that trajectory, falsely characterising renewable energy as expensive and unreliable, downplaying U.S. responsibility for historic emissions, and mocking efforts to reduce methane emissions
• Meanwhile, the science underpinning climate action is clear: the U.S. remains the largest historical emitter of CO₂ and faces increasing domestic climate risks

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Trump’s statements threaten to undermine global climate cooperation at a critical juncture
• With COP30 in Brazil approaching, nations are expected to strengthen their emissions pledges—yet U.S. disengagement could embolden other major emitters to stall or reverse progress
• For island nations and developing countries already suffering from rising seas and extreme weather, such denialism is not just rhetoric—it’s a direct threat to their survival and a barrier to equitable climate finance

⏭️ What's next: Global reaction to Trump’s speech is likely to intensify diplomatic tensions ahead of COP30, where climate-vulnerable nations will push for stronger mitigation commitments and loss and damage funding
• While U.S. states, businesses, and civil society groups continue to pursue decarbonisation independently, federal backtracking complicates international negotiations
• The UN and IPCC will need to reaffirm the scientific consensus and counter misinformation as talks resume in Brazil

💬 One quote: “Millions of people around the world can already testify to the devastation that climate change has brought to their lives… It is lived, it is deadly, and it demands urgent action.” – Dr. Adelle Thomas, Vice Chair, IPCC

📈 One stat: Since 1850, the United States has contributed 24% of all human-caused CO₂ emissions—more than any other country globally

Explore carbon credit purchases, total emissions, and climate targets of thousands of companies on Data Hub™ — the first platform designed to help sustainability providers generate sales leads!

Click for more news covering the latest on public governance and climate change