Credibility and Collaboration: Biden’s Climate-Focused Foreign Policy

Feb 18

Feb 18 Credibility and Collaboration: Biden’s Climate-Focused Foreign Policy

White Christmas came late to St. Andrews this year, with snow and ice blanketing our cobbled streets last week. Amidst sledding and old course strolls, this winter wonderland is a stark reminder of our generation’s most pressing crisis. Extreme weather is on the rise, and its connection to the climate crisis is now undeniable.

The ability of states and international institutions to focus their resources on this challenge is paramount to the future of not only the planet, but of humanity. Indeed, it is the realm of foreign policy where the greatest progress will be made – but only if it is steered in the right direction.

With the election of President Biden, climate action on the international stage is more within reach than it has been for a while. In his inaugural address, President Biden spoke about how the United States faces “a climate in crisis” and the fact that “we will be judged, you and I, for how we resolve the cascading crises of our era.” This is, obviously, a far cry from the attitude of the last four years and indicates an acute understanding of the international dimensions which define the climate crisis.

Broadly, President Biden’s foreign policy worldview emphasises relationship building. This strategy will be extremely effective to tackling to the climate crisis as it is perhaps the only way to balance the interests of the many actors who must be involved in any solution.

Central to Biden’s climate foreign policy is the appointment of former Secretary of State John Kerry, as United States Special Envoy for Climate. From the get go, he has painted a dire picture of the international response to the climate crisis, saying that “today no country and no continent is getting the job done.” Kerry’s push for international cooperation squares well with President Biden, especially given his track record as Secretary of State in the Obama administration, when they worked to forge the 2015 Paris Climate Accords (which the U.S. reentered on President Biden’s first day in office).

Kerry, however, needs to do more. The lack of progress over the last five years since COP21 has shown that international cooperation between states alone will not suffice. As Kerry and many others have pointed out, COP21 was simply not enough and given the wasted potential of the past four years, the crisis has only become more acute.

Where, then, does the solution lie? The climate crisis is multidimensional, involving public and private stakeholders from the local to international level. The Brookings Institution argues that the Biden administration must utilise all of these actors to successfully tackle the breadth of this challenge. After all, businesses and consumers are responsible for many of the most destructive practices and are thus integral to any solution. Any solution should consider the fact that ‘tipping points’ such as plant-based proteins and the increasing popularity of electric vehicles have been surprising success stories.

Regardless of approach, perhaps the biggest challenge the Biden Administration needs to address is the deficit of American credibility on the world stage. With the U.S. having ignored any climate action over the last four years, few large countries have been willing to maintain their commitments. The quicker that credibility can be restored – which has already started with the reentry into the Paris Climate Accords – the quicker other states will jump back on the bandwagon. Another opportunity will come in November when COP26 is scheduled to be held in Glasgow. The U.S. will be closely watched during the summit, and its credibility will hinge on its ability to show its commitment, but also the frank admission that international summits have done little to translate talk into action so far.

Biden’s apparent commitment to the climate in U.S. foreign policy is refreshing, but there is much work to be done. His appointment of John Kerry as Special Envoy for Climate is a solid start. Where the real work will come in, however, is using relationship building to get stakeholders involved and committed to both international and domestic climate agreements. Alongside all of this is the pressing need to reestablish American credibility abroad after four years of negligence and denial.