A life-long optimist, I'm starting to struggle with the build-up of scary announcement after scary announcement. It feels like I'm in the prelude to one of Margaret Atwood's dystopian novels.
I guess I should be hopeful that, in recent days, Trump has wavered on a number of his electioneering claims, including that climate change is a hoax and he would pull the United States out of the Paris accord.
Not knowing where he will land and how long he will retain a position doesn't fill me with confidence, though.
What does bring me hope is a group of young Americans, all under 20, who have passed the first hurdle in taking the US Government to court over a lack of action on climate change.
Oregon Judge Ann Aiken has ruled that there is a case to answer, and I love her comments: "This lawsuit is not about proving that climate change is happening or that human activity is driving it. For the purposes of this motion, those facts are undisputed."
She added: "I have no doubt that the right to a climate system capable of sustaining human life is fundamental to a free and ordered society."
In New Zealand, there is progress with the appointment of a technical working group, including one of my former AECOM colleagues. I will be watching their progress with great interest - and a pinch of cynicism given their narrow terms of reference explicitly excludes mitigation or revisiting our climate change targets.
It does have farming interests represented, though, so I'm hopeful they will examine the complexity around agricultural emissions.
Another move this week was a group of 60 New Zealand businesses - spanning finance to fishing, retail to science, and health to religion, and co-ordinated by WWF - issuing an open letter calling for stronger action on climate change.
It challenged the Government to keep up with change being led by a growing pocket of the private sector and wider community.
The letter said: "Without the Government pulling its weight, we will not be able to make the necessary changes at the pace and scale required ... set ambitious targets to reduce emissions, create a long-term plan for how to do it, and implement policies that can set us on the right path and empower New Zealanders to make low-carbon choices."
This year's winners at the Sustainable Business Network awards showcased the inspirational action already happening, particularly carbon credits organisation Ekos which won the innovation category. Its approach is quality - its credits are certified to international standards but based in New Zealand and Pacific biodiversity conservation projects.
I used them to offset my family trip to Australia earlier this year at the affordable cost of
$31.24.
So, on balance, I remain hopeful. Leaders are coming together across sectors, there are great solutions getting recognised, and the US judiciary is taking climate change seriously - it's not time to give up.
Even our neighbours in Palmerston North are getting among it with their first fast-charge electric vehicle station opened this week.
We need to stay focused, get the targets right and then take action.
■Nicola Patrick is a Horizons regional councillor, a Sustainable Whanganui trustee and works for Te Kaahui o Rauru. A mother of two boys, she has a science degree and is a Green Party member
