Climate

derailed an international carbon tax

While inflating oil prices by $40 bbl

boosted forecasts for oil and gas

Not out of Qatar, the UAE, or Kuwait

sought to silence an island nation’s climate campaign

Last month, the U.S. State Department took its anti-climate pressure campaign to the United Nations General Assembly. The agency sent a missive to every U.S. embassy and consulate, urging all U.N. members to reject a resolution proposed by the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu. Vanuatu and its neighbors in the region had recently brought a successful case to the International Court of Justice, or ICJ; the court ruled that countries have an obligation to mitigate climate change. The resolution called on states to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, phase out support for fossil fuels, and pay climate reparations, among other measures.

...

In its message, the Trump administration called the “disturbing resolution” a “charade” and asked Vanuatu to “immediately withdraw” the effort and “cease attempting to wield the Court’s Advisory Opinion as a basis for creating an avenue to pursue any misguided claims of international legal obligations.”

Lee-Anne Sackett, Vanuatu’s special envoy for climate justice, said negotiations on the resolution have continued at the U.N. despite U.S. pressure. Strong advocacy from island nations continues, and none of the dozen countries who proposed the resolution alongside Vanuatu have rescinded their support.

shrug

Idk. In classic Trump fashion, it seems like he's getting the opposite of what he asked for. But also in classic Trump fashion, it feels as though he's going to come out ahead anyway - almost entirely by accident - as US oil export prices sore and Middle Eastern monarchies rally around the American flag to fight Iran.

I have a hard time believing a bottleneck that plugs 20% of the global oil reserve will be a bad thing for the climate. Or that surging oil prices will deter the rollout of green energy solutions globally. But for Trump, specifically, it does feel like a "Heads I Win / Tails You Lose" crisis.