Fast Forward: Ethics and Politics in the Age of Global Warming (Brookings FOCUS Book)

Those of us alive today are the first generation to know that we live in the Age of Global Warming. We may also be the last generation to have any chance of doing something about it. Our forebears had the excuse of ignorance. Our descendants will have the excuse of helplessness. We have no excuse. —From Chapter One Fast Forward is equal parts science primer, history lesson, policy prescription, and ethical treatise. This pithy and compelling book makes clear what we know and don t know about global warming; why the threat demands prudent and urgent action; why the transition to a low-carbon economy will be the most difficult political and economic transaction in history; and how it requires nothing less than a revolution in our sense of civic responsibility. William Antholis and Strobe Talbott guide the reader through two decades of climate change diplomacy, explaining the national and international factors that have influenced and often impeded the negotiations. Their brisk narrative includes behind-the-scenes coverage of Barack Obama s impromptu meeting with key leaders in Copenhagen that broke a logjam and salvaged an agreement. The near-disaster of that summit demonstrated how the United Nations cannot move forward fast enough to produce a global deal. Instead, the Big Four of the United States, the European Union, China, and India must drive the next stage of the process. Antholis and Talbott also recommend a new international mechanism modeled on the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade that would monitor national commitments and create incentives for other countries to coordinate their efforts to cut emissions. Antholis and Talbott put their recommendations for immediate congressional and diplomatic action into the larger context of our obligation to future generations. They note that this theme is stressed by a diverse coalition of religious leaders who are calling for ambitious political action on climate change. The world we leave to our children and grandchildren is not an abstraction, or even just a legacy; we must think about what kind of world that will be in deciding how live and act today. " ""Those of us alive today are the first generation to know that we live in the Age of Global Warming. We may also be the last generation to have any chance of doing something about it. Our forebears had the excuse of ignorance. Our descendants will have the excuse of helplessness. We have no excuse.""From Chapter One Fast Forward is equal parts science primer, history lesson, policy prescription, and ethical treatise. This pithy and compelling book makes clear what we know and don't know about global warming; why the threat demands prudent and urgent action; why the transition to a low-carbon economy will be the most difficult political and economic transaction in history; and how it requires nothing less than a revolution in our sense of civic responsibility. William Antholis and Strobe Talbott guide the reader through two decades of climate change diplomacy, explaining the national and international factors that have influenced and often impeded the negotiations. Their brisk narrative includes behind-the-scenes coverage of Barack Obama's impromptu meeting with key leaders in Copenhagen that broke a logjam and salvaged an agreement. The near-disaster of that summit demonstrated how the United Nations cannot move forward fast enough to produce a global deal. Instead, the ""Big Four"" of the United States, the European Union, China, and India must drive the next stage of the process. Antholis and Talbott also recommend a new international mechanism modeled on the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade that would monitor national commitments and create incentives for other countries to coordinate their efforts to cut emissions. Antholis and Talbott put their recommendations for immediate congressional and diplomatic action into the larger context of our obligation to future generations. They note that this theme is stressed by a diverse coalition of religious leaders who are calling for ambitious political action on climate change. The world we leave to our children and grandchildren is not an abstraction, or even just a legacy; we must think about what kind of world that will be in deciding how liveand acttoday. " Fast Forward is equal parts science primer, history lesson, policy prescription, and ethical treatise. This pithy and compelling book makes clear what we know and don't know about global warming; why the threat demands prudent and urgent action; why the transition to a low-carbon economy will be the most difficult political and economic transaction in history; and how it requires nothing less than a revolution in our sense of civic responsibility.William Antholis and Strobe Talbott guide the reader through two decades of climate change politics and diplomacy, explaining the national and international factors that have influenced and often impeded domestic climate legislation and global negotiations. Recent United Nations–sponsored summits have demonstrated that the world cannot wait for a binding global treaty. Instead, the authors believe that the'Big Four'of America, the European Union, China, and India must lead the way forward. They recommend a new international mechanism modeled on the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade that would monitor national commitments and create incentives for other countries to coordinate their efforts to cut emissions.Antholis and Talbott put their recommendations for legislative and diplomatic action into the larger context of our obligation to future generations, echoing a theme stressed by a diverse coalition of religious leaders calling for ambitious action on climate change. The world we leave to our children and grandchildren is not an abstraction, or even just a legacy; we must think about what kind of world that will be in deciding how we live—and act—today.Praise for Fast Forward'William Antholis and Strobe Talbott brilliantly explode the economic and scientific myths about climate change while elevating the political debate to a transgenerational moral crisis. Their synthesis of science, economics, religion, and philosophy is a clarion call to action for anyone intere Just as wars are too important to leave to the generals, managing climate change is too important to be left to our governments alone. It requires the vigorous, assertive engagement of the governed as well, given its profound implications for our right to a livable planet and our duty to do what we can to protect that prospect. 'In this concise and readable book, William Antholis and Strobe Talbott clearly explain the reality of climate change today and make a compelling case for addressing it now, rather than passing the buck to our children and grandchildren. Climate change, or global warming', remains the subject of great controversy in our media and our political space. None of that changes the overwhelming scientific consensus, however-that climate change is real, it is measurable, it is intertwined with human activity, it is potentially disastrous, and it is already upon us. With the passing of each generation, the unaddressed ramifications of global warming will increase in both severity and permanence. This makes it ethically imperative that we deal with it now-to ignore it or simply wish it away would be an unconscionable abandonment of our responsibilities as citizens, as stewards of the earth, and as parents. Without a question, stopping or even slowing climate change poses tremendously daunting challenges. It demands foresight, sacrifice, courage, and common sense from all quarters-national and subnational governments, international organizations, and individual citizens Cover ......Page 0 Contents ......Page 3 One: The Accidental Experiment ......Page 4 Two: The Good News of Damnation ......Page 16 Three: Three Presidents and a Process ......Page 27 Four: Coalitions of the Willing ......Page 49 Five: A Useful Disappointment ......Page 62 Six: The Big Four ......Page 80 Seven: The Shadow of the Future ......Page 99 Acknowledgments ......Page 122 Notes ......Page 127 Index ......Page 138 "Clearly establishes how and why global warming is a major threat and why urgent action is needed, including the history of domestic and global negotiations on global warming and the players who must be involved in finding a solution to climate change to protect future generations"--Provided by publisher.