Climate change is an existential crisis. It can't be solved by one country or a few countries, but only through worldwide cooperation and commitment. Outside of the glare of the political spotlight, American diplomats work tirelessly to negotiate international agreements to reduce carbon emissions and avoid the worst-case scenarios. One such diplomat is Jennifer Haverkamp. Working for the State Department in 2016, she led two U.S. negotiating teams that successfully arrived at international agreements designed to reduce global warming and the risks of climate change. I recently spoke with Jennifer about her experience representing the United States in environmental trade talks and climate change negotiations, about the United States’ international standing on environmental issues, and about why she is optimistic about the future of the planet.