THE NEW GREEN ORDER

Partnerships between countries should consider relooking at climate trends to explore new pathways for long-term action

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EVERY YEAR, FOR the last several years, has been deemed as the hottest year on record. 2025 has already surpassed previous numbers with January seeing temperatures of 1.75°C above pre-industrial levels. The trend is likely to continue. Rising heat is not the only manifestation of climate change, there have been more than usual forest fires, heavier monsoons and snowstorms, and more frequent cyclones. The rapid growth and scale of climate impacts, expected to increase exponentially according to IPCC reports, tells us plainly that no one is immune—not even the richer countries. Climate events in January 2025 alone have affected every single part of the planet, from massive storms in the UK to heavy rain and floods in Western Australia to record heat in Asia, South America and the Arctic.

The climate conversation now needs some serious reflecting and contemplation. COP29 in Baku was a failure, with lower-than-expected financial pledges from developed economies and lack of strengthening of previous commitments to move away from fossil fuels. There seems to be a sense of lethargy on part of the global community to adequately address these issues. In some ways, the collapse of global climate ambition offers the ability to re-think our priorities and goals and strategise as a global community in a more inclusive manner.