Trump, COP29 and the future of climate finance

Make Me Smart

COP29, the United Nations’ annual climate summit, is underway in Azerbaijan. This year’s conference is all about how the world will pay to deal with climate change. But Donald Trump’s election victory looms large over the talks. President-elect Trump could roll back United States climate policy like he did during his first term. On the show today, Gautam Jain, senior research scholar at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, explains why climate investment won’t come to a complete halt under the next Trump administration. Plus, he weighs in on who might fill the void in global energy transition talks.

Plus, the message ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods is sending Trump about the nation’s energy policy. And, how early is too early for Christmas lights?

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “What Trump can do to reverse US climate policy − and what he probably can’t change” from The Conversation
• “COP29: What are the key issues at the UN climate summit in Baku?” from Reuters
• “Trump Victory Leaves China Calling the Shots at COP29 Climate Negotiations” from The Wall Street Journal
• “Burning Questions: What are the climate wins and setbacks from the election?” from Marketplace
• “Exxon chief urges stability in US climate policy, knocks carbon border tariffs” from Politico

We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at [e-mail].