US withdrawal from 66 international bodies and Paris/UNFCCC
- The record does not name which of my species, waters, soils or forests were harmed.
On 7 January 2026 the United States announced its withdrawal from 66 international organisations, including the IPCC, IPBES, the UNFCCC and IUCN. The UNFCCC withdrawal takes effect on 27 February 2027.
Of these, 31 were reported as UN entities.
Status As of March 2026: the Paris exit is in effect; the UNFCCC withdrawal notice has been filed and takes effect on 27 February 2027.
- IPCC — Lost its largest donor: the US gave $1.8 million in 2024 against $383,000 from Germany.
- IPBES — Lost a country that covered about 10 percent of its budget.
- UNFCCC — Lost a country that covered about 22 percent of its core budget.
What happened
On 7 January 2026 a US presidential memorandum ordered the withdrawal of the United States from 66 international organisations, conventions and treaties. The bodies named in the sources include the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), UN-REDD and IRENA. Press reports said 31 of the 66 were UN entities.
The White House memorandum was titled as withdrawing the United States from organisations, conventions and treaties that it described as contrary to United States interests. The sources reviewed do not give a fuller statement of reasons.
The sources record that the US exit from the Paris Agreement took effect at the end of January 2026. They also record that the notice of withdrawal from the UNFCCC was given on 27 February 2026 and takes effect on 27 February 2027, with a UN depositary notification published.
In 2024 the United States gave the IPCC $1.8 million, by far the largest donor; the next largest, Germany, gave $383,000. In February 2025 the administration halted federal scientists' work for the IPCC and did not nominate authors. A university group nominated 282 candidates instead; 63 were selected as authors, and the group raised the authors' travel money itself. Bloomberg reported that IPCC funding could run out in 2028.
The sources state that the United States had covered about 10 percent of IPBES's budget and about 22 percent of the UNFCCC's core budget. No senior US representative was sent to COP30, the first time since 1995 according to one summary; about 100 state and local officials attended.
- 2025February: administration halts federal scientists' IPCC work and does not nominate authors
- 20267 January: presidential memorandum orders withdrawal from 66 organisations. End of January: Paris Agreement exit takes effect. 27 February: notice of UNFCCC withdrawal given
- 202727 February: UNFCCC withdrawal due to take effect
How it looked
Shown
- The withdrawal was presented as ending US participation in bodies contrary to US interests.White House memorandum · The White House
Recorded
- 66 organisations named; 31 reported as UN entities.
- UNFCCC withdrawal notice given 27 February 2026; effective 27 February 2027.
- US contribution to the IPCC in 2024: $1.8 million, the largest; Germany second with $383,000.
Who gained
Reached nature or the ground
Gained elsewhere
Responses on record
- white-house (7 January 2026): Issued a memorandum ordering withdrawal from organisations, conventions and treaties described as contrary to the interests of the United States. · The White House
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
Insurers
What nature saw
Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.
What we don't know
Nature
- Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.
Court
- None on record No court case on record.
Record
- Unclear Whether the United States can rejoin the Paris Agreement or the UNFCCC without Senate approval: described as an open legal question.
- None on record The exact date the Paris exit took effect: the date often cited (27 January) was not confirmed in the sources reviewed.
- Insufficient Reported but not independently verified: a funding gap at a REDD+ project in Cambodia after the US left UN-REDD.
- Insufficient Reported but not independently verified: Bloomberg's philanthropy covered the US share of UNFCCC dues from 2017 to 2025 ($4.5 million in 2023).
Did the harm stop?
The UNFCCC withdrawal takes effect on 27 February 2027; the Paris exit took effect at the end of January 2026.
Who paid?
Not established in the sources reviewed. The sources record that some measurement work (IPCC authors' travel) was funded by a university group instead.
Sources
Government and regulators
Press and investigations
- Trump withdraws the U.S. from the IPCC, IPBES, UN Climate Change, IUCN and 66 other international organizationsNoticias Ambientales · 2026-01-08
- US set to exit UN climate convention in February 2027Climate Home News · 2026-03-04
International bodies
- Depositary notification CN.102.2026 (United States, UNFCCC)United Nations Treaty Collection · 2026
Connected cases
- African Parks Odzala-Kokoua abuses (Republic of Congo) Republic of Congo · 2010–2025
- IUCN (International organisation) — here: Body the US withdrew from; there: Recommended deferral of World Heritage listing in 2022
- CAMPFIRE and elephant trophy hunting Zimbabwe · 2010–2015
- IUCN (International organisation) — here: Body the US withdrew from; there: Policy guidance
- Colossal Biosciences: de-extinction ventures, funding and the Burgum remark United States · 2022–2026
- IUCN (International organisation) — here: Body the US withdrew from; there: Its Canid Specialist Group stated the pups are not dire wolves
- Endorois and Lake Bogoria enzyme extraction (Kenya) Kenya · 1970–2026
- IUCN (International organisation) — here: Body the US withdrew from; there: Technical evaluator whose recommendation led to the 2011 World Heritage listing
- EU Deforestation Regulation delays and trade pressure European Union · 2022
- United States Government (Government) — here: Withdrawing state; there: Asked for delay
- Half-Earth and 30x30 advocacy funding (Wyss Campaign for Nature) Global · 2016–2026
- IUCN (International organisation) — here: Body the US withdrew from; there: Co-author of the Protected Planet Report 2024
- Kaeng Krachan: Karen evictions and the disappearance of Billy Thailand · 1981–2025
- IUCN (International organisation) — here: Body the US withdrew from; there: Recommended against listing until Karen concerns were addressed
- Kiribati opens Phoenix Islands protected area to fishing; trust dissolved Kiribati · 2015–2021
- IUCN (International organisation) — here: Body the US withdrew from; there: reports the area's status in 2025
- Kiribati PIPA opened to fishing Kiribati · 2015–2025
- IUCN (International organisation) — here: Body the US withdrew from; there: Assessed the property (World Heritage Outlook)
- Nepal community forestry Nepal · 2000–2026
- UN-REDD Programme (International organisation) — here: Programme the US withdrew from; there: Programme body reporting on Nepal's jurisdictional REDD+
- Pacific tuna Vessel Day Scheme Pacific Islands (PNA members) · 2010–2025
- IUCN (International organisation) — here: Body the US withdrew from; there: Assessor of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area
- Pillay panel finds no proof WWF directed ranger abuses it supported Democratic Republic of the Congo · 2006–2020
- United States Government (Government) — here: Withdrawing state; there: funder of WWF's work
- Pribilof fur seal harvest and Alaska Commercial Company United States · 1870–1983
- United States Government (Government) — here: Withdrawing state; there: Paid compensation to Aleut residents, 1979 and 1983
- Rio Tinto Juukan Gorge destruction Australia · 2020
- IUCN (International organisation) — here: Body the US withdrew from; there: Conservation body in a Collaboration Agreement with Rio Tinto (2010)
- UNESCO World Heritage listings and Indigenous rights Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda · 1991–2025
- IUCN (International organisation) — here: Body the US withdrew from; there: Technical evaluator for natural sites
- US and Cook Islands deal raises concerns over seabed mining talks Cook Islands · 2026
- United States Government (Government) — here: Withdrawing state; there: Party to the seabed minerals deal
- US and DRC sign minerals partnership giving US firms first offer on mining sites Democratic Republic of the Congo · 2026
- United States Government (Government) — here: Withdrawing state; there: signatory to the partnership
- US quits 66 international bodies including the IPCC; NOAA disaster database closed United States · 2025–2026
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (International organisation) — here: Body the US withdrew from; there: Body from which the US withdrew
- US takes about 15% stake in MP Materials and sets $110/kg rare earth price floor United States · 2026
- United States Government (Government) — here: Withdrawing state; there: took stake and set price floor
- Whale oil, kerosene and the 1986 whaling moratorium International · 1859–2022
- IUCN (International organisation) — here: Body the US withdrew from; there: Assessed the humpback whale (2008)
- WHO Pandemic Agreement and the PABS annex Global · 2025–2026
- United States Government (Government) — here: Withdrawing state; there: Withdrew from WHO; participation in the negotiations halted