Illustration: Chen Xia/GT
The US’ indifferent inaction and self-serving obstruction have once again drawn international concern. According to a Sunday article from the Financial Times, people present at meetings at the headquarters of the UN’s International Maritime Organization in London last month revealed that the US "ripped up normal global diplomacy rules and used ’bully-boy tactics’ to derail the UN-backed Net Zero Framework for global shipping."
The British media outlet reported that some US officials threatened countries that supported the plan with punitive trade tariffs, higher port fees and visa restrictions - and even issued personal threats to the representatives themselves. Washington’s coercive style - relying on unilateral pressure and weaponizing economic might - is nothing new, but its extension into global climate cooperation lays bare a troubling truth: Washington’s "America First" doctrine has now pushed "Earth Last."
Adding insult to injury, just a few days ago, the US also announced it will not send high-level representatives to the upcoming COP30 climate summit in Brazil. The world’s second-largest carbon polluter, which is also responsible for the largest share of historical emissions, will be absent from the talks. These two moves send a disturbing signal: the US, once seen as a global climate leader, is degenerating into a climate saboteur and consensus-breaker.
Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times that this is a textbook example of the extreme strategic selfishness driven by "America First." To fix its own domestic and economic challenges, the US has sidelined - and even undermined - the shared global effort to safeguard the planet and promote a green economy.
Although some in the US have voiced opposition to the federal government’s regressive climate stance, the overall trajectory shows the US accelerating backward. Its lenient emissions policies and reckless reliance on fossil fuels threaten not only the global ecosystem but also the pace of the world’s economic transformation. In short, Washington is dragging down global progress for the sake of short-term national interests. Two words now define the US’ role in global climate politics: "absence" and "bullying." It may also be the moment when the world finally lets go of its last illusions about the US regarding green development.
However, in a world where the US refuses to lead constructively, new paths must be forged. The stance and actions of other major economies have therefore become crucial. The European Union and emerging economies, such as China and Brazil, are stepping up, advancing global green development and offering pragmatic cooperation. As Washington reverses course, the world’s climate agenda is not collapsing - it is evolving toward a more decentralized and multipolar model of governance.
Responding to Washington’s decision to skip COP30, EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra described it as "a watershed moment" for global climate governance. The US now presents itself against the international community and on the wrong side of history. The world will remember who built the bridges toward a sustainable future - and who chose to burn them.
原文地址：http://en.people.cn/n3/2025/1104/c90000-20385892.html