The Changing and Intertwined Politics of Climate and Trade

The politics of trade and climate are changing and coming into line with one another, as this new reporting by @AnaSwanson @nytimes shows.

Here is @AmbassadorTai, explaining why pivoting from Trumpism is necessary, but why simple reversion to pre-Trump trade policy is not an option. This is especially the case with the twin crises of inequality and climate.

Another way that Bidenism differs, as @SecRaimondo explains, is engagement with allies and building up — rather than attempting to throttle — the administrative state.

It’s already yielding results, as the new green steel deal shows. As @Ben_Beachy tells Ana, it’s the first time a U.S. trade agreement includes specific targets on carbon emissions.

In fact, it’s more than that. It appears to be the first trade deal anywhere that includes this type of systematic target on carbon emissions. Receipts from @Chris_M_Dent here in this new research article. (mdpi.com/1996–1073/14/1…)

The result of this new paradigm — unafraid to wield markets for policy goals, while also working with allies on a shared vision — appears to have already borne fruit, as I told Ana, with Biden winning over allies to pluralistic and flexible strategies for fulfilling the vision.

(Adapted from this thread.)