From Putin to Cuba, there are a bevy of international issues competing for attention as the next administration beings to take shape. In a series of contextual one minute video briefings, the Wilson Center’s community of experts weighs in what the world expects of President-elect Trump and the United States moving forward.

ECSP and GSRP Director Roger-Mark De Souza says that the United States’ greatest challenge will be balancing the country’s immediate concerns with the threats posed by climate change to our economic growth and national security.

“Climate change is larger and more complex than any other challenge that we face as a country,” says De Souza.

Americans are concerned about our jobs and providing for our families. We are concerned about our health and long-term well-being. And we want to protect the United States’ leadership position and strategic interests around the world. All of these concerns are exacerbated by climate change, which threatens our economy, our national security, and our very existence. Regardless of the causes of climate change, the incoming administration will have to grapple with its effects, including more frequent and more severe natural disasters, growing instability in fragile states, and loss of lives and livelihoods.

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The United States has made strong commitments to fighting the climate challenge. President-elect Trump should continue to meet those commitments because it is in our national interest. He could protect American families and produce new jobs by funding adaptation and resilience efforts in vulnerable places, from the Sahel to Sarasota, from the Gulf of Guinea to the Gulf Coast. After this divisive election, the new administration could find common ground with the majority of Americans concerned about climate change by pledging to grow the green economy and make our world a safer, more secure home for all.

For more briefs from Wilson Center experts, visit wilsoncenter.org for an interactive map of regions and topics.