As World Leaders Gather in Sharm el-Sheikh, High Hopes Face Realistic Challenges in the Fight Against Global Warming
Next week, Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt will host world leaders, diplomats, scientists, and activists for the United Nations’ annual climate conference, but grand expectations of drastic actions to curb climate change are tempered. The two-week event, while always marked by optimism, often leaves some disappointed when historic agreements like the 2015 Paris Accord aren’t reached.
Unlike the cooperation seen in 2015—when the U.S. and China, the world’s largest emitters, united with a common vision—the current geopolitical landscape is more fragmented. This shift complicates collective action, even as the urgency of the climate crisis becomes ever clearer.