BELEM: World leaders sharply criticized U.S. President Donald Trump for rejecting climate science ahead of the COP30 climate summit, held in the Amazonian city of Belém, Brazil.

Trump, who chose not to attend the meeting, was labelled a “liar” by the presidents of Colombia and Chile for denying the existence and impact of global warming.

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer acknowledged that global political unity on climate action has weakened.

“Climate change used to be a unifying issue internationally and at home,” he said. “Today, sadly, that consensus is gone.”

Over the next two weeks, negotiators at COP30 will attempt to forge a new global agreement, with a particular emphasis on increasing financial support for forest conservation and protection.

Leaders from several of the world’s largest economies — including India, Russia, the U.S., and China — are notably absent from this year’s COP gathering.

Despite his absence, Trump’s climate views remain a central topic among attendees. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva used his address to caution against “extremist forces that fabricate fake news” and jeopardize future generations.

Speaking without directly naming Trump, Lula said such forces “are condemning future generations to life on a planet altered forever by global warming.”

Chilean President Gabriel Boric and Colombian President Gustavo Petro went further, accusing Trump of lying and urging the global community to ignore U.S. efforts to retreat from climate commitments.

Chile’s Environment Minister Maisa Rojas said, “The science is very clear. It is very important not to falsify the truth.”

Despite strong words against Trump, tangible progress on new measures to limit global warming remains elusive.

Only a few dozen world leaders have arrived in Belém, and most countries have yet to submit updated carbon reduction plans — the primary tool for curbing rising global temperatures.

As the COP30 summit begins, optimism for a breakthrough appears limited, with political divisions threatening to overshadow urgent action on the planet’s climate crisis.