The World’s Crises and Their Impact on Climate Cooperation
The global landscape has drastically changed in recent years, complicating the already difficult task of addressing the climate crisis. As world leaders gather at the United Nations General Assembly, they face a fractured geopolitical environment, record-breaking temperatures, and growing unrest in vulnerable nations suffering from deadly heatwaves and floods.
Nearly a decade ago, in 2015, world leaders came together to sign the Paris Agreement, a groundbreaking global pact to combat climate change. This agreement was rooted in the shared understanding that climate change poses a threat to all of humanity, and a collective effort was necessary to mitigate its impact. Nations committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, with wealthier industrialized countries promising to help less developed nations transition to clean energy.
However, today’s world is much different. Three significant shifts since the Paris Agreement have diminished the prospects for continued global climate cooperation: China’s dominance in the clean-energy sector, the failure of wealthy nations to fulfill their financial promises, and the geopolitical instability driven by wars from Ukraine to Gaza.
China's Clean Energy Rise and Global Tensions
China has emerged as a global leader in clean energy, producing more solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicle batteries than any other nation. It holds a critical position in the renewable energy transition, despite being the largest current emitter of greenhouse gases. Paradoxically, China’s rapid development in clean energy has also fueled a protectionist backlash, especially from the United States and Western countries, who fear being left behind.
The dominance of China in the clean-energy supply chain has sparked economic and political tensions, complicating climate diplomacy. Tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and efforts to reduce dependency on Chinese-processed metals have become new obstacles in global climate negotiations, particularly between the world’s two largest emitters, the U.S. and China.
As tensions rise between these global powers, cooperation on climate action has become increasingly difficult. “Geopolitics are more challenging than they were when the Paris Agreement was struck,” says Ani Dasgupta, president of the World Resources Institute. However, he also notes the growing leadership from the Global South, as lower-income nations push for more decisive action to combat climate change.
The Financial Strain on Global Climate Efforts
The issue of funding has long plagued climate diplomacy. Wealthy nations such as the U.S., Canada, and those in Europe, which are historically responsible for much of the planet’s carbon emissions, have struggled to meet their financial commitments to help poorer nations transition to clean energy.
The creation of the Loss and Damage Fund, designed to support countries suffering from climate-related disasters, was a step toward addressing this financial imbalance. However, the $700 million pledged so far is far from enough. In comparison, the European Commission recently allocated $10 billion to help central European nations recover from floods — a stark contrast to the limited funds available for low-income countries.
Many developing nations, particularly in Africa, bear the brunt of climate change, losing significant portions of their economies to extreme weather events. Yet, they continue to struggle with heavy debt and limited financial support to cope with these disasters. “For developing nations, this is not just an injustice, it’s a betrayal of trust and humanity,” says Harjeet Singh, global engagement director at the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative.
The Impact of Global Conflicts
The ongoing war in Ukraine has reshaped global energy dynamics, bringing energy security to the forefront of national agendas. While it has strengthened the argument for renewable energy, it has also shifted attention away from the transition to renewables and toward ensuring sufficient oil and gas supplies.
The war has also buoyed fossil fuel producers, with both China and India making deals with Russia for oil and gas, allowing Russia to find new markets despite European efforts to wean itself off Russian energy. Meanwhile, the U.S. has increased its oil and gas exports to counter these shifting alliances.
Other conflicts, such as the situation in Gaza, have further destabilized global politics, eroding trust and complicating climate negotiations. Western dominance over fossil fuel trade is fading, while new geopolitical alliances continue to form, disrupting any semblance of global consensus on climate action.
The Uncertainty of U.S. Climate Policy
The upcoming U.S. elections add an additional layer of uncertainty. During his first term, former President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, and he has promised to do so again if re-elected. A Trump administration, as noted by Tim Benton of Chatham House, would likely frustrate ambitious climate policies, both in the U.S. and abroad.
The outcome of the U.S. election will have significant implications for global climate action, as the U.S. plays a critical role in both emissions reduction and international climate diplomacy. The potential return of a climate-skeptical administration could derail years of progress and hinder future efforts to combat global warming.
Conclusion
The world is facing unprecedented challenges, with geopolitical tensions, financial strains, and global conflicts impeding the collective effort needed to tackle climate change. While the Paris Agreement remains a symbol of international cooperation, the reality today is that divisions between nations — particularly between the U.S. and China — are slowing down the transition to clean energy.
For vulnerable countries already suffering from the effects of climate change, this lack of progress represents a profound betrayal. As the world’s political landscape becomes more fractured, the path to solving the climate crisis grows ever more difficult.
