Recently published climate science ultimately underscores the same points: The impacts of climate change are advancing faster than experts had previously predicted, and they are increasingly irreversible. One blockbuster report, from a United Nations grouping of biodiversity experts in May 2019, found that 1 million species are now in danger of extinction unless dramatic changes are made to everything from fuel sources to agricultural production. Despite these warnings, however, scientists confirm that the world remains on pace to blow past the goal of restricting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, likely with catastrophic consequences.Persistent climate skepticism from key global figures, motivated in part by national economic interests, is slowing diplomatic efforts to systematically address the drivers of climate change. In particular, U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris climate agreement upon taking office immediately undermined the pact. Despite these hurdles, negotiators made substantive progress during a U.N. climate change conference in December 2018, putting in place an ambitious system of monitoring and reporting on carbon emissions for nations that remain part of the agreement. But the latest round of talks in December 2019 ended in abject failure, and the coronavirus pandemic hobbled further diplomatic efforts in 2020.
The Paris agreement has nevertheless proved more resilient than many initially feared after the U.S. withdrawal. The European Union, Japan and South Korea all pledged to achieve carbon-neutral economies by 2050; China announced a target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. And U.S. President-elect Joe Biden has declared his intention of returning the U.S. to the Paris agreement, and he has signaled his commitment to high-level climate diplomacy by, among other things, naming former Secretary of State John Kerry as his climate envoy.
Whether renewed American leadership on the issue will be enough to break through some of the obstacles facing climate diplomacy remains to be seen. In the meantime, frustration with the slow progress and persistent challenges toward achieving increasingly urgent targets has spurred newfound activism, particularly among young people. The Fridays for Future movement, with its coordinated student walkouts to demand action on climate change, has become the face of this wave of protests and may prove a political threat to parties that downplay climate action. The gains made by Green parties in the European Parliament elections in May 2019, as well as in a series of national and local elections in Europe since then, show just how potent a voting issue climate change can be.
WPR has covered climate change in detail and continues to examine key questions about what will happen next. Will Fridays for Future upend existing political orders and usher in new, climate-focused leaders? Will climate-friendly initiatives feature prominently in post-pandemic economic recovery plans? And will the Biden administration’s climate diplomacy have a meaningful impact? Below are some of the highlights of WPR's coverage.
The U.S. became the first nation to formally withdraw from the Paris climate accord in November 2020. The good news is that Joe Biden can restore U.S. participation at the stroke of a pen. The bad news is that actually reducing greenhouse gas emissions will require dramatic domestic action from a deeply divided nation.
The global political effort to address climate change is moving ahead, despite the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris agreement. But it is unclear if global leaders will ever agree to measures that rise to the level of what is needed. Success hinges particularly on the continued participation of major emitters, including India and China, which is not a guarantee. The effort will receive a much-needed boost now that Biden is poised to move quickly on recommitting U.S. leadership and resources to the effort. But whether the U.S. and the world will match words with actions remains uncertain, especially amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
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