Real Progress on Emissions Can Lead to a Global Pact

Don’t give up on a global climate treaty, but don’t count on it any time soon. I have seen these negotiations up close. Every country trots out its list of reasons why it needs more time to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and the negotiations become a race to the bottom. But once countries feel confident in their ability to simultaneously reduce emissions and grow their economies, they will begin to negotiate with the objective of reaching an agreement rather than negotiating to delay. Which is why the extraordinary progress made by the United States in reducing emissions and growing our economy is critical to the negotiating process.