Why the U.S. Exit from the UNFCCC and IPCC Make State-Level Action in Georgia More Important Than Ever

In January 2026, the United States announced its withdrawal from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. These institutions have long formed the backbone of international climate cooperation and scientific assessment. Their purpose is simple but essential: to help nations understand the risks of climate change and coordinate responses to a challenge that affects the entire planet.

The UNFCCC, adopted in 1992, provides the framework through which countries negotiate climate commitments and assess collective progress. The IPCC brings together scientists from around the world to evaluate the best available climate research and present it in a form that policymakers and the public can understand. While these bodies do not set national policies, they shape the shared knowledge and dialogue that make coordinated action possible.