India, Nov. 15 -- The 30th UN Climate Conference has opened this week in Belem, deep within the Amazon. The setting itself speaks louder than the speeches: humanity gathers in a burning forest to discuss how to stop the fire. Attendance is thin, finance remains uncertain, and the absence of the United States, the world's second-largest emitter, has been called "less disruptive than expected." Over a hundred American governors and mayors have arrived independently, declaring that "America is still in." But the Earth does not hear declarations; it registers emissions.

The Thresholds We Have Crossed

We are beyond the stage of uncertainty. The world has already crossed the 1.5 degC limit above pre-industrial levels. The last eleven years ar...