Climate Realism Logo

Introducing CFR's Climate Realism Initiative

The Climate Realism Initiative charts a novel, pragmatic course for U.S. energy and climate policy that is both realistic in forecasting climate impacts and U.S. leverage as well as realist in assessing that countries will compete and pursue policies to advance their own interests.

Watch Now
Earth at night
Current Time 0:00
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 0:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected

      In Focus

      The U.S. Needs a Fresh Approach to Climate Policy

      U.S. policymakers need a new strategy to confront the risks of climate change, compete in the global energy transition, and stay the course regardless of which political party is in power. A doctrine of “climate realism” could earn bipartisan support by decisively pursuing American interests, writes Varun Sivaram, Director of the CFR Climate Realism Initiative.

      Article by Varun Sivaram

      A cityscape on the water

      The Three Pillars of Climate Realism

      Navigating the Geopolitics and Risks of a Warming World

      Preparing to safeguard American interests as the world exceeds its climate targets by grappling with geopolitical upheaval from global droughts, disasters, and migration; approaching new areas of military and economic competition such as the Arctic; and investing in resilience and adaptation to protect the homeland.

      Accelerating Clean Technology Innovation and U.S. Competitiveness

      Unleashing American global competitiveness in emerging energy markets by scaling innovations from next-generation batteries to power systems for artificial intelligence, guiding U.S. trade and industrial policy to balance the tradeoffs of the energy transition, and preserving U.S. global leadership in energy.

      Averting Catastrophic Global Climate Change

      Seeking to avert the most catastrophic planetary tipping points and climate impacts by marshaling levers of soft and hard power to curtail foreign emissions as well as advancing the technical readiness of and strategic approach for geoengineering. 

      Experts

      Varun Sivaram

      Senior Fellow for Energy and Climate and Director, Climate Realism Initiative

      Alice Hill Headshot
      Alice C. Hill

      David M. Rubenstein Senior Fellow for Energy and the Environment

      David hart headshot
      David M. Hart

      Senior Fellow for Climate and Energy

      Poneman Headshot
      Daniel B. Poneman

      Senior Fellow

      Featured Projects

      Cargo containers at a port

      Trade Tools for Climate Action

      For the United States to benefit from the growth in this rapidly expanding basket of technologies, it needs to focus on three areas of activity: identifying the goods that best contribute to global climate goals, investing in the development of technology where the United States can have a competitive advantage, and creating fair rules for trade in those products.

      Article by Jennifer Hillman and Inu Manak

      Featured Analysis

      Videos

      Podcasts

      Events

      Clear All

      Filter By

      Regions
      Topics
      Type

      Connect With Climate Realism

      Newsletter Sign-Up

      Sign up to receive monthly updates from the Climate Realism Initiative.