The Chinese delegation “rat-f––ed” the negotiations, fumed Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, after yet another day of gridlock. It was a Friday afternoon in December 2009, and the COP-15 climate conference in Copenhagen was going off the rails. U.S. President Barack Obama, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, and dozens of other world leaders had assembled in a last-ditch attempt to salvage a deal. They sat cheek by jowl in uncomfortable straight-backed chairs. The conference table was strewn with empty espresso cups and large leafy plants, piles of dog-eared papers, yellow highlighters, and soggy mozzarella sandwiches. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao was absent. In his place, he sent an underling, He Yafei, to sit opposite Obama — but did not authorize him to negotiate. The sleep-deprived world leaders were insulted. Most eventually lost patience and walked out. With this gesture, China was not j…
Leana Wen: How long does covid booster protection last?
More evidence highlighting the benefit, and limitations, of covid-19 vaccines. After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shifted its coronavirus vaccine guidance from a…
Thought Leader: Leana Wen
Dr. Sanjay Gupta: How Wearable Tech Transforms Health
We’ve come a long way in integrating technology into our daily lives, but could wearable tech actually help you live longer? From detecting heartbeat irregularities to flagging signs of…
Thought Leader: Sanjay Gupta
Annie Leibovitz Celebrated Women Alongside Her Many Muses
Annie Leibovitz has captured some of fashion’s most indelible images over the past five decades—oftentimes for this magazine. Many of those photographs—from Queen Elizabeth II…
Thought Leader: Annie Leibovitz
Eyck Freymann: Why Taiwan Matters to America
Thought Leader: Eyck Freymann
Eyck Freymann: Big Ships and Little Tech
Thought Leader: Eyck Freymann
