Lessons from the Obama White House: how climate policy really gets done

President Barack Obama wrote a new chapter for U.S. policy on climate change. His administration passed sweeping measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for the impacts of climate change. Despite limited success in his first four-year term, Obama used his second term to significant advantage. Three factors contributed greatly to that progress. First, Superstorm Sandy struck right before the 2012 presidential election and provided the nation a graphic illustration of what was at stake with climate change. Second, winning his re-election campaign in many ways freed Obama from worrying about political opposition to his climate efforts. Re-election allowed him to push climate policies despite strong political headwinds. And, third, once safely re-elected, Obama recruited the consummate political insider, John Podesta, to set the framework for accomplishing his climate goals. Yet, the election of the next President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, has made clear that even an historic effort in a second term may not be able to withstand a change in who occupies the White House.