Former US secretary of state John Kerry has declared Donald Trump the biggest loser seen in a long time for scrapping climate action and allowing China to dominate the clean energy sector. Speaking at the Cop31 climate summit in Turkey, Kerry argued that the US president is missing the broader point of global competitiveness and marketplace opportunities.
Kerry’s comments come as the Trump administration has withdrawn the US from the international climate process. The US delegation is absent from the annual UN climate talks currently taking place in the resort city of Antalya. Unlike nearly all other nations, the US sent no representatives to the summit, which commenced on Monday.
President Trump reiterated his skepticism toward clean energy on Monday. He stated that he would not approve wind turbines, calling them a major loser in reference to potential new legislation intended to streamline the construction of energy projects. This stance aligns with his long-held view that climate science is a hoax and his previous calls for increased oil and gas drilling.
When asked about the president’s remarks, Kerry suggested that the administration should hold up a mirror for Trump to see a true loser. He emphasized that the US is forfeiting its chance to be the supply chain for goods that could be produced domestically. Under the previous administration, sweeping climate legislation provided tax breaks for clean energy and electric vehicle manufacturing to counter China’s dominance in clean technology.
However, Republican-led efforts have eliminated much of that support. Trump has instead imposed tariffs on various goods and invested public funds in struggling coal-fired power plants. Kerry noted that coal is the dirtiest fossil fuel and a primary driver of planetary overheating. He criticized the strategy of trying to beat China by blackballing an entire sector of the economy.
Kerry has frequently urged the US and other nations to follow China’s lead in green energy adoption. The rapid global growth in renewables has helped prevent a significant amount of fossil fuel power from coming online, resulting in a slight decrease in global emissions last year. Nevertheless, experts warn that much deeper cuts are required to avoid catastrophic climate change.
UN secretary general António Guterres told delegates at Cop31 that it is long past time to phase out fossil fuel use. The slow progress in these negotiations has frustrated advocates. Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who arrived in Antalya on Tuesday, described the summits as greenwashed circuses and called that the reality of the situation.
Kerry acknowledged the slow pace of political progress but believes the issue is gaining traction. He noted that while global heating was not the central issue in the recent US midterm elections, concerns about rising energy costs overlapped with climate worries and drove voters to the Democrats. He expects many of the victorious Democratic candidates to prioritize this agenda in the future.
The White House has dismissed the Cop31 discussions, with an official stating that the summit rejects reality by failing to acknowledge that extremist climate policies are destroying countries. The administration confirmed its decision not to send any personnel to the talks.
