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.
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In Focus
Our Approach to Climate Policy Has Failed. It’s Time for Climate Realism
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.
ArticlebyVarun Sivaram
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.
The L.A. Fires Show the Need for Climate Realism
[Expert_brief]
Expert BriefbyVarun Sivaram
The Adaptation Imperative
by Alice Hill
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.
How the United States Can Win the Battery Race
ArticlebyVarun Sivaram
Global Clean Energy: Silver Linings Against a Dark Canvas
[Article]
Article byDavid M. Hart
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.
Transition 2025 Series: The Future of U.S. Climate and Energy Policy
[Event]
Eventwith Drew Bond,Michael Catanzaro,David Hayes,Alice C. Hill, andJustin Worland
Climate Diplomacy: Watch What Countries Do, Not What They Say
[Expert_brief]
Expert BriefbyDavid M. Hart
Experts
Varun Sivaram
Senior Fellow for Energy and Climate and Director, Climate Realism Initiative
Alice C. Hill
David M. Rubenstein Senior Fellow for Energy and the Environment
David M. Hart
Senior Fellow for Climate and Energy
Daniel B. Poneman
Senior Fellow
Lindsay Iversen
Deputy Director, Climate Realism Initiative
Featured Projects
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.
ArticlebyJennifer HillmanandInu Manak
Trade Tools for Climate Action: Green Goods
Featured Analysis
Videos
This national security threat 'surpasses' threats in Mideast
In the News April 4, 2025
How to prevent another L.A. wildfire disaster
In the News April 4, 2025
How climate change will increase corporate liabilities
In the News April 4, 2025
Podcasts
The Dirty Energy Powering AI
Podcast with Gabrielle Sierra , Molly, McAnany , Markus, Zakaria , Varun Sivaram December 3, 2024
The Climate Challenge, With Alice Hill and Varun Sivaram
Podcast with James M. Lindsay , Alice C. Hill , Varun Sivaram , Ester Fang , Gabrielle Sierra September 24, 2024
AI, Extreme Weather, and the LA Wildfires
In the News with Alice C. Hill January 15, 2025
Events
Navigating the Nexus of Climate and Defense
Event with Meredith Berger , Sherri Goodman , Varun Sivaram , Raj Kumar November 1, 2024
Technology and Clean Energy Innovations
Event with Varun Sivaram , Irina A. Faskianos February 3, 2025
Transition 2025 Series: The Future of U.S. Climate and Energy Policy
Event with Drew Bond , Michael Catanzaro , David Hayes , Alice C. Hill , Justin Worland March 13, 2025
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Climate Impacts Vary Across the World
Climate Impacts Vary Across the World
External Content April 4, 2025
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Why Energy Storage is Essential for a Green Transition
Why Energy Storage is Essential for a Green Transition
External Content April 4, 2025
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How Climate Change Threatens National Security
How Climate Change Threatens National Security
External Content April 4, 2025
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Clear All
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United States
Climate Realism Initiative LaunchThe United States' historical approach to climate change is failing. American clean technology industries lag dangerously behind their international competitors, threatening U.S. geopolitical and economic influence, and climate change is on track to exceed internationally agreed targets, endangering U.S. national security. CFR’s new Climate Realism Initiative, led by Senior Fellow Varun Sivaram, will chart a fundamentally new course for U.S. climate and energy policy—one that is both realistic in its assessment of the world's climate trajectory fueled by rising emissions outside U.S. borders and realist in its expectation that the United States and other countries will work to advance their own interests in the emerging energy transition.The launch event will bring together leading experts, policymakers, and industry leaders to examine how the United States can prepare for the geopolitical and security consequences of accelerating climate change, build globally competitive and innovative American clean technology industries, and pursue novel approaches—from coordinating strategic trade actions to exploring geoengineering—to prevent the most catastrophic potential climate impacts from endangering U.S. interests.Clickhereto view the full agenda.If you wish to attend virtually, log-in information and instructions on how to participate during question-and-answer portions will be provided the evening before the event to those who register. Please note the audio, video, and transcript of this event will be posted on theCFR website.The Climate Realism Initiative Launch is made possible by the generous support of the ClimateWorks Foundation.Members may bring a guest to this event.
Virtual Event with Joshua Freed, Sherri Goodman, Alice C. Hill, Maureen Hinman, David Keith, David W. Livingston, Ernest J. Moniz, Rachel Pritzker, David G. Victor, David Wallace-Wells, David M. Hart, Mary Louise Kelly, Varun Sivaram and Varun Sivaram April 7, 2025
Climate Realism
CFR Launches New Climate Realism Initiative to Advance Climate and Clean Energy PolicyThe Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) announces the launch of theClimate Realism Initiative, which will reimagine U.S. foreign policy to confront the threat of climate change, compete in the shifti…
News Releases April 7, 2025
Climate Realism
Our Approach to Climate Policy Has Failed. It’s Time for Climate RealismU.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.
Article by Varun Sivaram April 7, 2025 Climate Realism
Climate Realism
via How the United States Can Win the Battery Race March 23, 2025
Climate Realism
via Trump's Vision for the Future of Climate March 23, 2025
Climate Realism
America May Not Need a Massive Energy Build-Out to Power the AI RevolutionA new Duke University study argues that the existing U.S. electricity system already has the capacity to power massive additions of data centers that will be needed for the further development of artificial intelligence.
Post by Varun Sivaram February 11, 2025 Climate Realism
Climate Realism
via YouTube October 29, 2024
