The panel on International Climate Politics after the US Presidential Election hosted by LSE consisted of the following distinguished guests: Anne Marie Slaughter, Laurence Tubiana, Naomi Oreskes and Nicholas Stern.
The event began with Anne Marie Slaughter discussing what is within President-Elect Joe Biden’s executive power to propose climate-friendly policies, such as financial regulations that would require public companies to disclose their carbon emissions. There was further discussion on the possible hurdles Biden would face with a likely Republican Senate. However, Slaughter remained optimistic, citing pro-climate change regulating Republicans Henry Kissinger and George Shultz’s proposals for a carbon tax as examples of how the issue of climate change is transforming from one that is bipartisan to nonpartisan.
Next, Laurence Tubiana spoke of European involvement in the fight against climate change, citing how the Biden campaign’s climate-related goals resonate well with the EU Green deal, which calls for net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases within the EU by 2050. Tubiana noted that the President-elect will require a delicate approach to his return to a vastly different international political scene from the one he left four years ago.
Meanwhile, Naomi Oreskes expressed enthusiasm towards the Biden presidency’s embracing of the commitment to reason and science, specifically with regards to the US re-joining the Paris Agreement and the reversal of its withdrawal from the WHO. Furthermore, Oreskes discussed the problem of a dichotomous belief that exists within American culture, specifically that environmental policy leads to a failing economy and job loss, and thus sensible climate policies do not go hand in hand with a thriving economy. As opposed to the other panellists, Oreskes voiced concern on how the United States has historically been reluctant to lead the world in climate change policy; she cautioned that as an international audience, we should not expect the US to be an effective leader in this domain for “at least the next couple of years”.
Lastly, Nicholas Stern upheld an optimistic view on the international sentiment towards reducing the effects of climate change. He spoke of the “remarkable progress” that has been made over the last 2-3 years in several countries including the UK, specifically citing countries’ as well as firms’ commitments to net-zero emissions. Stern stressed the timeliness of an economic recovery that simultaneously promotes a sustainable future and identified three common interests of the international community- 1. conservation of world health, 2. boosting the world economy, 3. protection of the climate.
A couple of main threads throughout the night included the challenges that Biden would face in delivering an economic stimulus package that would include a “green-factor” in the recovery of the US economy. Many of the panellists also voiced their concerns over the discriminatory nature of climate change with regards to socio-economic inequality. From the audience, a question on how youth environmental activists could instigate change came about, which Stern answered by reminding us all to do our part in being proactive against harmful environmental practices in our quotidian.
The event was well attended, with 500+ viewers and 50+ questions, all of which you can find here. Overall, it left me with the sentiment of relief with a touch of the all too familiar uncertainty for our future. One thing was for certain though, as Anne-Marie Slaughter concluded, “climate is for all of us, all the time”.
By Marie Ogino
9 November 2020