GENEVA, Jan 22: UN agencies responded on Tuesday to President Trump's executive orders that terminate US membership in the World Health Organization (WHO) and its commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement, underscoring the significant negative consequences these decisions could have on global public health and efforts to combat climate change.

"The WHO regrets the announcement that the United States intends to withdraw from the Organization…We hope the United States will reconsider," said WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic, shortly after President Trump signed the executive order at the White House, setting a 12-month timeline for the US to exit the UN health agency.

The US became a member of WHO in 1948 following a joint resolution passed by both chambers of Congress, which requires the country to provide a year’s notice before leaving the organization. President Trump took steps to withdraw from the WHO in 2020 during his first term, but the Biden administration reversed that decision.

Speaking to journalists in Geneva, Jasarevic emphasized that the WHO plays a critical role in safeguarding global health by addressing disease causes, strengthening health systems, and responding to health emergencies, including disease outbreaks, especially in high-risk areas where others cannot operate. Regarding the impact of the US withdrawal, he stated that further analysis would be needed but confirmed that the US was WHO's largest single donor, contributing 18% of the agency's budget in 2023.

UN humanitarian affairs spokesperson Jens Laerke also weighed in from Geneva, highlighting the importance of the WHO in global health. "The world lives longer, healthier, and perhaps a little bit happier because of WHO," he said. "WHO is present in places where others cannot go," such as Gaza, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Sudan, and is an indispensable part of the international humanitarian system.

In response to President Trump's pledge to exit the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) spokesperson Clare Nullis stressed the critical need for countries to uphold the agreement. She pointed out that 2024 had been the hottest year on record, with temperatures about 1.55°C higher than the pre-industrial era, underscoring the urgency of addressing climate change.

Nullis also noted that the US had experienced the highest economic losses from weather, climate, and water-related disasters. "Since 1980, the US has sustained 403 weather and climate disasters where damages exceeded $1 billion, with total costs surpassing $2.915 trillion," she said.

The UN Spokesperson’s Office echoed these concerns late on Monday, emphasizing that the transformation envisioned by the Paris Agreement was already in progress. The renewable energy revolution, the office noted, offers significant opportunities for jobs and prosperity.

"The Secretary-General remains confident that cities, states, and businesses within the United States – along with other countries – will continue to demonstrate leadership by working toward low-carbon, resilient economic growth, which will create quality jobs and markets for 21st-century prosperity," the statement concluded.