Four sources familiar with this notification confirmed that the Trump administration terminated federal employees responsible for U.S. climate policy globally and climate aid in its reorganization at the State Department.
Career employees at the Office of Global Change in the State Department’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs played a leading role in U.S. negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The office’s officials also represented the United States in the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Maritime Organization, and the respective sectors of commercial aviation and shipping.
The firings come after Donald Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, as well as IMO negotiations on decarbonization measures to allow the global shipping industry to reach net-zero emission levels by “around 2020.”
The United States is a member of the ICAO and has agreed to take part in its Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation. (CORSIA), and to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Trump’s administration has, however, recently opposed ICAO’s decision to increase sustainable aviation fuel.
It is unclear how or if America will continue to take part in these international accords, or if certain office functions will be merged into other bureaus. The Trump administration is aggressively rolling back the existing U.S. Climate Policy and has dismantled the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Requests for comments from the State Department were not answered.
According to documents, internal and other sources with knowledge of the situation, there are also changes in the works at the Bureau of Energy Resources of the State.
The bureau was established during the Obama administration and helped to gather allies and partners in support of sanctions against Iran’s oil exports. The bureau, which employs about 80 people, has been focusing on the development of alternative minerals, oil, and gas, and weaning countries away from Russian fossil fuels in recent years.
Documents internal to the Department of Energy Resources said that the Bureau of Energy Resources was being absorbed into the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs. “This will ensure a laser focus on exporting and expanding American energy.”
Sources familiar with the situation say that many employees working on issues other than critical minerals are expecting to be laid off within days.
