War and politics are complicating the efforts of the two biggest polluters in history — the United States and Europe — to slow down global warming, just as scientists warn of intensifying hazards. President Biden barely made a mention of his climate goals in the State of the Union speech. European politicians have their own problem: They are struggling to get out from under one of the Kremlin’s most powerful economic weapons — its fossil fuel exports. Oil and gas prices are soaring globally. That is a boon to those who extract and sell the very products. And it is leading to new demands for increased drilling in the US, already one of the world’s biggest producers of oil and gas. The developments come just days after an exhaustive report from the United Nations that implored world leaders to sharply reduce emissions of carbon dioxide. [to access the full story a NY Times subscription may be required]