Global Leaders Unite Against Climate Denial at UN Summit 2025

At the 2025 United Nations climate summit on September 24, global leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, emphasized a robust response to climate change, with particular resistance to climate denial from various quarters, including former U.S. President Donald Trump. The summit was attended by over 100 representatives, featuring around 40 heads of state from diverse nations, uniting against the pressing climate crisis amid other global challenges such as conflicts and economic disputes.

Macron highlighted the necessity of relying on science in making climate and biodiversity decisions, stating, "we must use science to guide our approach against the ongoing climate crisis." His remarks came against a backdrop where countries are grappling with severe impacts of climate change, including rising sea levels and extreme weather events.

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also made a significant address that critically underscored the implications of climate denialism, implicitly targeting Trump, who had previously dismissed climate change as a hoax. Lula stated, "climate change is a reality that affects all of us; we must acknowledge it with rigorous science and action."

The summit’s discussions served as a vital precursor to COP30, which is set to take place in Belem, Brazil, marking the tenth anniversary of the Paris Agreement. Leaders worldwide shared alarming statistics and personal accounts of climate impacts in their respective nations, reflecting a united call for urgent, science-based action to mitigate the climate crisis, described collectively as a matter of survival, security, and prosperity.