Climate Change Policy: A Survey

✍ Scribed by Stephen H. Schneider, Armin Rosencranz, John O. Niles

• Publisher: Island Press
• Year: 2002
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 581
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Questions surrounding the issue of climate change are evolving from "is it happening?" to what can be done about it?". The primary obstacles to addressing it at this point are not scientific but political and economic; nonetheless a quick resolution is unlikely. Ignorance and confusion surrounding the issue - including lack of understanding of climate science, its implications for the environment and society, and the range of policy options available - contributes to the political morass over dealing with climate change in which we find ourselves. This text addresses that situation by bringing together a wide range of writings that examine the many dimensions of the topics most important in understanding climate change and policies to consider it. The chapters consider: climate science in historical perspective; analysis of uncertainties in climate science and policy; the economics of climate policy; north-south and intergenerational equity issues; the role of business and industry in climate solutions; and policy mechanisms including joint implementation, emissions trading, and the so-called clean development mechanism.

✦ Table of Contents

About Isalnd Press......Page 3
Title Page......Page 6
Copyright Page......Page 7
Contents......Page 8
Ackowledgments......Page 12
Introduction......Page 14
Part I: Science and Impacts......Page 20
Ch 1: Understanding Climate Science......Page 21
Ch 2: Uncertainty and Climate Change Policy......Page 70
Ch 3: Regional Impact Assessments: A Case Study of California......Page 106
Part II: Economic Analysis......Page 129
Ch 4: International Approached to Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions......Page 131
Ch 5: Designing Global Climate Regulation......Page 167
Ch 6: Carbon Abatement with Economic Growth: A National Stategy......Page 205
Part III: Policy Context......Page 235
Ch 7: U.S. Climate Change Policy......Page 237
Ch 8: The Climate Policy Debate in the U.S. Congress......Page 251
Ch 9: Population and Climate Change Policy......Page 267
Ch 10: Global Climate Change: A Business Perspective......Page 290
Ch 11: Activities Implemented Jointly......Page 308
Part IV: Forests and Agriculture......Page 320
Ch 12: Climate Change and Agriculture: Mitigation Options and Potential......Page 322
Ch 13: Tropical Forests and Climate Change......Page 352
Part V: Development and Equity......Page 388
Ch 14: A Southern Perspective on Curbing Global Climate Change......Page 390
Ch 15: Equity, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and Global Common Resources......Page 408
Part VI: Energy Choices......Page 424
Ch 16: Renewable Energy Sources as a Response to Global Climate Concerns......Page 426
Ch 17: Fuel Cells, Carbon Sequestration, Infrastructure, and the Transition to a Hydrogen Economy......Page 462
Ch 18: Enery R&D and Innovation: Challenges and Opportunities......Page 484
Ch 19: Business Capitalizing on Energy Transition Opportunities......Page 510
Ch 20: Earth Systems: Engineering and Management......Page 524
Appendix A: Climate Negotiation History......Page 538
Appendix B: "Hot Air" and "Hot Air" Policies......Page 546
Glossary......Page 552
About the Contributors......Page 556
Index......Page 562
Island Press Board of Directors 2002......Page 580