Cross-border cooperation has never been easy. There were never halcyon days when diplomats from rival nations could easily bridge differences of interest and power. As the world navigates the fury and folly of war following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we should remind ourselves that the international order has been re-invented several times over – typically from the ashes.
Making the case for collaborative foreign policy focused on climate is no mean feat on the back of the pandemic – when support for poor countries in the ensuing debt crisis has been wanting and in addition to the unfolding energy and food price spikes caused by the Russian invasion.
Yet we need to keep reminding ourselves that this is no longer a choice. Making hard choices and finding ways to work with geopolitical rivals is a necessity if we are to prevent the climate crisis derailing human progress for the generations that follow.
