from International Institutions and Global Governance Program

After Copenhagen

Climate Governance and the Road Ahead

July 29, 2010

Report

Overview

Climate change is the most difficult collective action problem the world has ever faced, yet global governance frameworks have failed to yield progress toward a solution. The Copenhagen conference in 2009 set the stage for ambitious action by both developed and developing countries, but failed to result in a binding treaty. Moving forward, countries must diversify the institutions and instruments they use to pursue effective climate governance. This Working Paper, sponsored by CFR's International Institutions and Global Governance program, examines alternatives to large-scale multilateral agreements, evaluates financing and monitoring structures, and recommends smaller and more varied negotiating venues.

Explore More on Climate Change

Renewable Energy

Why Solar Energy Needs Innovation to Reach Its Potential

Solar energy, the world’s cheapest and fastest-growing power source, could one day supply most of the world’s energy needs. But in a new book, “Taming the Sun: Innovations to Harness Solar Energy and Power the Planet” (MIT Press), energy expert Varun Sivaram warns that solar’s current surge is on track to stall, dimming prospects for averting catastrophic climate change. Brightening those prospects, he argues, will require innovation—creative financing, revolutionary technologies, and flexible energy systems.

March 2, 2018 4 min

Energy and Climate Policy

Is Natural Gas the Transition Fuel for Hydrogen?

Blog Post by Amy Myers Jaffe and Guest Blogger for Amy Myers Jaffe February 6, 2018 Energy Realpolitik

Renewable Energy

Clean Energy Might Reduce Global Warming, But What Will It Do to Geopolitics?

Blog Post by Varun Sivaram January 16, 2018 Energy, Security, and Climate

Explore More on CFR

Japan

Sheila Smith on the Abe-Trump Summit

CFR's Sheila A. Smith joins James M. Lindsay to discuss the recent meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Trump.

Podcast with James M. Lindsay and Sheila A. Smith April 19, 2018 The President's Inbox

Syria

Missile Strikes Are Not a Syria Strategy

Syria is likely to remain a broken country for years to come. The latest strikes did not change that reality.

by Richard N. Haass April 19, 2018

Cuba

What Is Cuba’s Post-Castro Future?

Miguel Diaz-Canel, set to replace Raul Castro as president of Cuba after sixty years of Castro rule, will be faced with the challenges of implementing economic reform and sidestepping regional isolation.

Interview with Rocio Cara Labrador and Christopher Sabatini April 18, 2018