By Cecilia Ologunagba
THE UNITED States has officially notified the Secretary General of United Nations (UN) of its withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, effective January 27, 2026, UN spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, said this at a news briefing on Tuesday in New York.
The historic accord reached by 193 countries in December 2015 in a bid to keep temperature rises to below 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, was signed by the U.S. on April 22, 2016.
During the first Trump administration, the U.S. withdrew from the Agreement effective November 4 2020, before his successor took the country back into the accord on February 19, 2021.
The UN spokesperson said the latest withdrawal would not lead to any slowdown in the UN’s efforts to combat climate change.
“We reaffirm our commitment to the Paris Agreement and to support all effective efforts to limit the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius,” Dujarric said.
The international community continues to work towards the goals set by the Agreement, despite the U.S.’s decision to withdraw.
In a related development, UN World Health Organisation (WHO) has appealed for concerted action to tackle neglected tropical diseases, which impact more than one billion people – often with devastating health, social and economic consequences.
Every year, around 800 to 900 million people are treated for at least one neglected tropical disease, according to the UN health agency, which warned that global warming has emerged as a threat in this field of medicine.
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The list of tropical diseases is a long one and includes Buruli ulcer, Chagas disease, dengue, chikungunya and dracunculiasis.
They tend to thrive among vulnerable people who live in poverty and are caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi and toxins.
Progress in tackling these diseases remains hampered by a lack of investment and conflict, the WHO said, ahead of World Neglected Tropical Disease Day on Thursday.
Today, 54 countries have successfully eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease; WHO’s goal is for 100 countries to do the same by 2030. (NAN)
