President Joe Biden walks on the South Lawn to board Marine One before departing the White House in Washington. AFP

In a statement released by the White House on Wednesday, Biden said, "At COP28, world leaders reached another historic milestone - committing, for the first time, to transition away from the fossil fuels that jeopardise our planet and our people, agreeing to triple renewable energy globally by 2030, and more,” while stating that, "there is still substantial work ahead of us to keep the 1.5 degree C goal within reach, today’s outcome puts us one significant step closer. ”

Describing the climate crisis as the existential threat of our time, Biden noted, "It is our collective responsibility to build a safer, more hopeful future for our children.”