Multilateralism works even as US, fossil fuel industry oppose climate action

4/12/2025 6:39

The final outcome of the COP30 climate summit in Brazil last month was "disappointing," but showed multilateralism still works in the absence of the United States' participation and amid growing geopolitical tensions, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Reuters Next conference in New York on Wednesday.



"I have mixed feelings about the COP," Guterres said about the annual UN climate negotiations that took place on the edge of the Amazon rainforest.



"On one hand, I think it is remarkable that with the United States out and campaigning against it and the fossil fuel industry clearly determined to make sure that things would not move forward ... with all these movements against it, it was possible to have an agreement, and this shows that multilateralism works," he said.