In this week’s newsletter: From geopolitics to populism, multilateralism is under pressure – but climate action cannot succeed in a fractured world • Don’t get Down to Earth delivered to your inbox? Sign up here January might seem a bit too early to propose a word of the year, but I know mine already: multilateralism – the principle that common problems should have common solutions. It rests on the idea that all countries and people have a stake in the future of the planet we share, and that their rights should be respected. That cooperation beats competition, or going it alone. Multilateralism is what has kept the UN process of climate diplomacy going, but now the principle is under threat as never before, amid a rising tide of populism and conflict. The US, under Donald Trump, explicitly rejects multilateralism, in favour of carve-ups between great powers. But if we are to stave off climate breakdown, only multilateralism will work. ‘Cities need nature to be happy’: David Attenborough seeks out London’s hidden wildlife EU’s new ‘green tariff’ rules on high-carbon goods come into force Renewable energy project approvals hit record high in GB in 2025, data shows Multilateralism faces a toxic brew of debt, climate crisis and war. It’s time for a reboot | Mo Ibrahim The ‘new world order’ of the past 35 years is being demolished before our eyes. This is how we must proceed | Gordon Brown Into the void: how Trump killed international law Continue reading...