An Introduction to Climate Change Economics and Policy (Routledge Textbooks in Environmental and Agricultural Economics)

The 2nd edition of An Introduction to Climate Change Economics and Policy explains the key scientific, economic and policy issues related to climate change in a completely up-to-date introduction for anyone interested, and students at all levels in various related courses, including environmental economics, international development, geography, politics and international relations. FitzRoy and Papyrakis highlight how economists and policymakers often misunderstand the science of climate change, underestimate the growing threat to future civilization and survival and exaggerate the costs of radical measures needed to stabilize the climate. In contrast, they show how direct and indirect costs of fossil fuels – particularly the huge health costs of local pollution – actually exceed the investment needed for transition to an almost zero carbon economy in two or three decades using available technology. An introduction to climate change economics and policy- Front Cover An introduction to climate change economics and policy Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Contents Preface Acknowledgements Chapter 1: Introduction Climate change and the political landscape Structure of the book Note Chapter 2: Basic science – and some politics – of climate change A very short history of long-run climate changes Climate change today Future prospects What climate models tell us Conclusions Notes Chapter 3: Sustainable agriculture: sequestering carbon for food security Introduction Growing global food demand The green revolution and industrial agriculture: Malthus reloaded? Industrial agriculture, health and the food system Erosion, desertification and warming Food security, sustainable agriculture and climate change Eco-agriculture and regenerative organic farming Conclusions Notes Chapter 4: Economic growth, well-being and sustainability Economic growth: falling behind or moving forward A sustainable development path (from Malthus to Kyoto) IPAT: impacts, population, affluence and technology Economic growth, welfare and life satisfaction The ecological footprint The illusionary comfort of sustainability (strong vs weak sustainability) Genuine savings and investment GDP (Gross Domestic Problem) Greening the GDP Degrowth Ecologists vs economists Conclusions Notes Chapter 5: Development in a changing climate Millennium goals for development and environment Time to double: 70/x The dragon is rising The impacts of climate change on the poor Climate and conflict Development and sustainability as conflicting goals Thinking on an empty stomach Aid and technology transfers Transportation Deforestation Multinationals and the poor Fair or free trade? Poor governance Public goods and their underprovision The World Bank and the IMF: good prescriptions or bad advice? Conclusions Notes Chapter 6: Ethics and climate change Ethics of climate change for today and tomorrow Economics and utilitarianism Social welfare and externalities Just society and unjust climate change: Rawls and his theory of justice Equalizing access to rights beyond income: Sen’s capabilities approach The day after tomorrow (the precautionary principle) Risk-loving, risk-avoiding and the risk of a catastrophe ‘An old man’s grandchildren are his crowning glory’ (Proverbs 17:6): or perhaps not? Oh brother, where art thou? Willingness to pay and willingness to accept Environmental protection as a human right Spoiling nature or being spoiled? Desacrilizing nature The broken link between consumption and production: is climate change on the agenda? Conclusions Notes Chapter 7: Kyoto, Paris and other international environmental agreements Climate change as a ‘global public good’ problem Carrots and sticks Carbon trading The Montreal Protocol: a rare case of success What next? Conclusions Notes Chapter 8: Incentives for mitigation: carbon taxes and emissions trading Market forces are not enough Regulation Taxes and permits Conclusions Notes Chapter 9: The costs of climate change and the benefits of mitigation Cost–benefit analysis Cost–benefit analysis (CBA) of WWS Agriculture and climate change Discounting, growth and the value of life Climate catastrophe, the precautionary principle, and policy More co-benefits, costs and waste More on technologies for mitigation Biofuels Solar energy Conclusions Notes Chapter 10: Green fiscal policy: from austerity to full employment in a low-carbon economy Introduction The employment and poverty crisis since 2008 Why austerity in the Great Recession? Why green fiscal policy? Notes Bibliograph Index "...reviews new developments and the alarming lack of progress in reducing emissions. This updated edition explains the key scientific, economic and policy issues related to climate change without assuming any prior knowledge...[Economists and policy makers] underestimate the growing threat [of climate change] to future civilization and survival and exaggerate the costs of radical measures needed to stabilize the climate...This book provides a completely up-to-date introduction for anyone interested in the economics and policy of climate change, and students at all levels in various related courses, including environmental economics, international development, geography, politics and international relations."--back cover