The Rise and Retreat of Climate Politics The Rise and Retreat of Climate Politics How climate change became a dominant political force, and why its influence now appears to be fading. World leaders at the Paris Climate Agreement Ten years ago, as governments from around the world gathered in Paris and committed themselves to reducing carbon emissions, climate change was widely viewed as one of the most important political issues of the era. The Paris Agreement symbolized a shared belief that coordinated global policy could meaningfully alter the planet’s climate trajectory. This sense of urgency only intensified in the years that followed, particularly as populist political movements gained traction in Western democracies. Climate change increasingly became more than a scientific or environmental issue. It evolved into a cultural and political marker. Climate Alarmism and Political Identity Climate activism during the late 2010s During the Trump presidency...