SDSN Statement on the U.S. Withdrawal from the UNFCCC and International Treaties
New York, New York (January 9, 2026) — This week, the Trump Administration signed a Presidential Memorandum formally withdrawing the United States from 66 international organizations and treaties, including 31 United Nations (UN) entities. Among these agreements is the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the foundational treaty underpinning the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
"The UN Charter is the bulwark of global survival, and the UN institutions are the key to providing vital global public goods, including climate safety, disease control, protection of biodiversity, the end of poverty, and other vital global needs," said Professor Jeffrey Sachs, President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). "The U.S. retreat from these global commitments is shocking and distressing and will lead to the isolation of the United States from the rest of the international community. The key for the rest of the world is to recommit their nations to the UN-based order and to clearly express their firm opposition and dismay to the U.S.'s reckless disregard for international law."
The SDSN was a key partner in the development of the 2015 Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project, through which national research teams from the 16 highest-emitting countries designed long-term emissions reduction pathways that helped inform the Paris Agreement and continue to guide national decarbonization strategies. The SDSN has consistently emphasized that the actions taken during this decade will determine the feasibility, speed, and overall cost of the global transition to net-zero emissions and, ultimately, the world’s ability to achieve a carbon-neutral future.
The SDSN remains steadfast in its work with governments, academic institutions, civil society, and the private sector to advance science-based climate solutions and strengthen international cooperation. The SDSN urges all nations to reaffirm their commitments under the Paris Agreement, accelerate near-term climate action, and safeguard the multilateral institutions essential to achieving a sustainable and resilient future for all.