Despite scientific consensus on human-induced global warming, former US President Donald Trump has consistently denied its human origins. In 2012, he famously claimed climate change was "a hoax invented by the Chinese to make US manufacturing less competitive."

This political stance, compounded by the pandemic, has significantly hindered environmental progress. SustainabilityX magazine summarizes Trump's impact and offers a "what not to do" list to inspire action for the new year.

David Wallace-Wells' RSA Minimate, "Climate Change and the Future of Humanity," confronts global warming as our age's existential challenge. He warns of grave dangers if we continue our current path, urging immediate commitment and collective action for humanity's future.

RSA Minimates are super-short, information-packed animations. Watch Wallace-Wells' full talk on "The Uninhabitable Earth" here.

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The climate crisis has crucial cultural aspects. Rebecca Solnit, co-editor of *Not Too Late: Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibility*, highlights new narratives emerging from science, Indigenous leadership, and organizing. These stories offer grounds for hope, envisioning an age of abundance rather than austerity.

Solnit, a renowned author of over 20 books including *Hope in the Dark*, is an influential writer and activist. She regularly contributes to The Guardian and launched the Not Too Late project.

Learn more at Bioneers.org.

Sir David King, former chief scientific adviser to the UK government (2013–2017), discussed the governance of Arctic climate-altering technologies with the Carnegie Climate Governance Initiative (C2G).

At the 2019 Arctic Circle Assembly on October 10th, Sir David participated in two C2G sessions. There, scientists, policy experts, and civil society representatives explored critical questions concerning the Arctic's future.

Learn more here.

Carbon pricing is rapidly advancing worldwide, with significant developments like the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and new initiatives in Canada and Mexico. CCL Policy Fellow Dr. Danny Richter will provide a global overview, highlighting how America’s trading partners are using carbon pricing to cut pollution, level the playing field, and drive clean innovation.

Understanding these international trends is crucial for U.S. policy, especially as border adjustments and carbon efficiency become central. This session equips policy advocates with the global context and talking points needed to champion smart, fair carbon policy at home.

At COP 15 in Copenhagen, Hub Culture journalist Edie Lush interviewed Sarah Severn, Nike's Director of Stakeholder Partnerships. Severn discussed the current progress of climate legislation within the United States.

She also highlighted the BICEP partnership, a coalition of 17 global companies actively advocating for comprehensive climate change legislation.

Join us for an online talk with acclaimed environmental journalist Eugene Linden, author of nine non-fiction books. He will discuss his new book, *Fire and Flood*, which examines how business interests have historically obscured scientific warnings and hindered climate action. Linden, whose *Winds of Change* won the Grantham Prize, previously covered environmental issues for *Time*.

In *Fire and Flood*, Linden reveals how big money prioritizes short-term profits over long-term threats. He details the insurance industry's dramatic shift, now retreating from high-risk regions like Florida and California due to unmanageable fire and flood risks. This signals a broader business awakening to the urgent need for rapid climate action as long-term consequences become immediate.

Independent analyses by NASA and NOAA confirm that Earth's global surface temperatures in 2019 ranked as the second-warmest since 1880. Temperatures were 2°F (1.1°C) warmer than the late 19th century, second only to 2016.

This data continues the planet's long-term warming trend, with the five warmest years on instrumental record all occurring in the last five years. More information is available at NASA's press release.