In June, Politico published an article titled, “Is Climate Change an Emergency at the WTO?” The question posed was not about the environment, but rather whether the organization will allow climate change to be used as an excuse in international relations.

The question was anticipated in connection with China’s case at the World Trade Organization against parts of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.

The article implied that the U.S., citing climate change, might invoke the WTO’s Article 21 national security exception in order to obtain a free pass for the measures that China is challenging — namely, various provisions of the clean vehicle and renewable energy tax credits.

Alas, the answer to the question is “No.” And the problem here is not the word “emergency,” but the idea that climate change is specifically an “international relations”........

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