The 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change stands out as one of the most challenging yet hopeful accomplishments of the twenty-first century. After two decades of efforts, 195 nations came together to create a bold, actionable framework to tackle one of the most significant challenges of our time. How did this agreement move forward and what does it mean to have this framework today and in the future?

In his compelling new book, Landing the Paris Agreement, Todd Stern, the former U.S. Chief Negotiator on Climate Change, offers a detailed account of how one of the most significant international climate agreements was forged. As a pivotal architect of this historic agreement, Stern provides captivating behind-the-scenes anecdotes and insights from the seven years of negotiations that shaped global climate policy.

Stern will be joined by Li Shuo, Director of China Climate Hub at the Asia Society Policy Institute, and Lili Pike, a reporter for Foreign Policy, to delve into some of the most impactful moments from Landing the Paris Agreement. Together, they will explore the valuable lessons learned from this experience and examine what lies ahead for multilateral climate negotiations, particularly in light of major events like the U.S. election, COP29, and recent U.S.-China tensions.

Books will be available for purchase. Book signing to follow the discussion.

Speakers

Todd Stern is a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a non-resident distinguished fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute, concentrating on climate change. He served from January 2009 until April 2016 as the Special Envoy for Climate Change at the Department of State, where he was President Barack Obama’s chief climate negotiator.

Li Shuo is the Director of China Climate Hub at the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI). He is also a Senior Fellow with ASPI's Center for China Analysis. His work focuses on analyzing China’s environmental and energy policies and supporting the international community’s engagement with China’s climate agenda. Prior to ASPI, Li Shuo has more than a decade of experience in United Nations environmental negotiations, including on climate change, biodiversity, ocean, plastic pollution, and ozone.

Lili Pike (Moderator) is a reporter at Foreign Policy covering U.S.-China relations, China’s foreign affairs, and the country’s response to climate change. Before joining FP, she reported on China and climate change at Grid, Vox, Inside Climate News, and China Dialogue. She is a graduate of Harvard University and New York University, where she received a master’s in science journalism. A native of California’s San Francisco Bay Area, she lived in Beijing for four years and is fluent in Mandarin Chinese.

This program is made possible with the support and co-sponsorship with Columbia University's APEC Study Center.