“It’s Time for Climate Realism”

Watch Climate Realism Initiative Director Varun Sivaram outline a novel and pragmatic approach to U.S. energy and climate policy: one that is realistic about the national security and economic risks of climate change and realist in assessing that countries will compete and pursue policies to advance their own interests.

Climate Realism Could Earn Bipartisan Support

U.S. policymakers need a new framework 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, writes Sivaram.

Climate Realism Launch Event

CFR’s Climate Realism Initiative launched in Washington, DC, on Monday, April 7 featuring a keynote conversation with Ernest J. Moniz, former U.S. secretary of energy, and Mary Louise Kelly, host of NPR’s All Things Considered. Watch the keynote and sessions.

The Adaptation Imperative

The world has long struggled to mitigate climate change, and dealing with the consequences will likely be even harder, writes Alice C. Hill.

Global Clean Energy: Silver Linings Against a Dark Canvas

Global consumption of fossil fuels remains stubbornly high, writes David M. Hart. But even as the world’s demand for energy continues to rise, technology is offering some glimmers of hope.

Trade Tools for Climate Action

For decades, the world has witnessed explosive growth in the volume of international trade and the level of greenhouse gas emissions. Jennifer Hillman and Inu Manak explore how analysts of international trade and the environment have begun examining the flip side of that coin—the ability for trade and trade policy to help address the climate crisis. 

Teaching Climate Change: From Earth Day to Every Day

Join a webinar for educators on Tuesday, April 22, and learn why climate change education is so crucial in 2025. The panel of experts will feature speakers from the Climate Realism Initiative, American Museum of Natural History, CFR Education, National Geographic Society, and SubjectToClimate. Register for the webinar.