Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis said yesterday that he was not concerned about Donald Trump’s potential impact on climate change discussions and efforts following his election as US president.

Trump is a climate skeptic and has promised to end many of the climate change policies implemented under President Joe Biden’s administration.

Davis said: “He speaks for his country and I don’t blame him for all this.

“Remember, the conference of the world’s leading parties (COP) is currently ongoing, this will be its 29th year.

“And it’s only been around for the last 10 years and we’re still no further along than we were 29 years ago.”

During his first term as president, from 2017 to 2021, Trump withdrew the United States from the Paris Agreement, a legally binding international climate change agreement.

The move was a singular example of a broader effort to remove the United States from its leading role in discussions about slowing and mitigating climate change.

Since becoming prime minister, Davis has made climate change a major agenda item and topic of conversation.

He has raised the issue repeatedly on global stages, especially where there is a sustained effort to advocate for climate finance for the world’s most vulnerable countries.

While the Biden administration is more climate-friendly than Trump, pledging to reduce emissions by rejoining the Paris Agreement, Davis said yesterday that little has been implemented in the last few years to combat climate change and create climate justice.

“So what happens next won’t just depend on what he does or doesn’t do, because even when he wasn’t here, not much happened,” Davis said.

“That is why our voices continue to agitate and advocate for meaningful action to stem the impact and consequences of climate change, which is destroying not only small island states but even large countries.”

Recent promises to roll back climate change efforts were a recurring theme in Trump’s recent campaign.

He has promised to withdraw again from the Paris Agreement and increase fossil fuel production, among other things.

The issue quickly surfaced following the news of his election victory on Tuesday, and Trump highlighted the United States’ large oil and natural gas reserves in his victory speech.

Global leaders, including Davis, are expected to meet at COP 29 next week; here the US election results will likely be seen as an obstacle to progress.