For the next little while, the key action on the climate front will take place in two capital cities 12 time zones and a world apart: Baku, Azerbaijan, and Washington, D.C. Arash Golshan. Handout photo As the world turns its gaze towards Baku for the 29th edition of the Conference of the Parties —the environment and climate change summit of the year—the imminent return to power of Donald Trump as U.S. President casts a long shadow over possible outcomes and decisions.
This is of utmost importance because the transition away from GHG-emitting activities and energy sources—required to achieve the goal—are lengthy processes that must be done in the most affordable and least disruptive manner to maintain the political durability of the global decision to pursue that path. It’s far from certain—and less important if the U.S.