An early version of this paper was delivered as a public lecture to the Oxford Martin School on Monday 16 June 2025.
Abstract
Slow progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions has led to comments that achievement of global climate change mitigation goals is unlikely, because it is too costly and difficult. It would be less costly and difficult if international trade in energy-intensive goods were a normal feature of the zero-carbon economy, as it has been in the fossil carbon economy. This is difficult when the US under President Trump has withdrawn from international cooperation on trade and climate change. Other countries remaining open and cooperative facilitates re-entry of the US into the global system and continued progress on agreed climate goals.
