UNGA to discuss how to tackle climate change day after Trump called it ‘greatest con job ever’

World leaders will turn their focus to climate change at the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, just a day after US President Donald Trump denounced climate science as the “greatest con job ever” in his address to the same forum.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres will host on Wednesday a Special High-Level Event on Climate Action, providing a platform for countries to present updated national climate plans. The initiative is aimed at accelerating global momentum ahead of COP30, scheduled for 2025 in Brazil.

According to the United Nations, the new climate plans are expected to reflect bold action over the next decade, with governments urged to commit to pathways that enable “a just, resilient and low-carbon future.”

Guterres has repeatedly warned that without stronger commitments, the world risks breaching the 1.5°C global warming limit set under the Paris Agreement, with devastating consequences for vulnerable communities.

The high-level event comes against a politically charged backdrop. Addressing the UNGA on Tuesday, Trump launched a scathing attack on renewable energy policies, international migration frameworks and climate commitments.

He dismissed the scientific consensus on global warming, calling it “the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world,” and accused governments of using climate action as a pretext for undermining economic growth and national sovereignty, ANI reported.

While Trump’s comments highlighted deep divisions in U.S. political discourse, the UN is pressing ahead with its agenda, urging governments to step up rather than scale back their commitments.

The September 24 gathering is positioned as a key moment to align national strategies with the global effort to cut emissions, adapt to worsening climate impacts and mobilise financing for developing nations bearing the brunt of the crisis.

As negotiations move toward COP30, the UN has stressed that tackling climate change is not only an environmental imperative but also central to economic transformation and global stability.

“This is about ensuring prosperity for all people, safeguarding ecosystems, and building a future that is fair and sustainable,” according to a UN statement.

The contrasting tones between Trump’s denunciation of climate science and the UN’s push for urgent action highlight the competing narratives world leaders must navigate when the General Assembly resumes discussions on Wednesday.