Climate Change Policy Encounters the Real World

Abstract

In this concluding chapter, the main issues developed throughout the book are briefly reviewed. The concern about climate change is then discussed in broader terms, viewing it in much the same way as earlier concerns about resource scarcity, population growth and the potential adverse impact that humans have on the environment. From this perspective, global warming is an environmental issue and much less a scientific one. The only real difference would seem to be the fact that it has the backing of the United Nations. UN involvement is a mixed blessing, because the UN must reconcile its climate agenda with its economic development goals, including its Millennium Development Goal (to halve the number of people living below In this concluding chapter, the main issues developed throughout the book are briefly reviewed. The concern about climate change is then discussed in broader terms, viewing it in much the same way as earlier concerns about resource scarcity, population growth and the potential adverse impact that humans have on the environment. From this perspective, global warming is an environmental issue and much less a scientific one. The only real difference would seem to be the fact that it has the backing of the United Nations. UN involvement is a mixed blessing, because the UN must reconcile its climate agenda with its economic development goals, including its Millennium Development Goal (to halve the number of people living below $1.25 per day by 2015). Economic development on that scale cannot occur without vast amounts of high-quality, high-density energy that is only available from fossil fuels. Rich countries have agreed to facilitate convergence of incomes in poor countries to those of the rich, but they have also agreed to de-carbonize the global economy. These objectives are incompatible, as illustrated by the rise in CO₂ emissions that accompanied economic growth in China. Mitigation is too costly, imposes a large burden on the poor, and is unlikely to prevent global warming – the concentration of CO₂ in the atmospheric keeps increasing and human emissions show no sign of slowing. Therefore, climate engineering and adaptation are preferred to mitigation, particularly since the science is less than adequate for making firm statements about the Earth’s future climate..25 per day by 2015). Economic development on that scale cannot occur without vast amounts of high-quality, high-density energy that is only available from fossil fuels. Rich countries have agreed to facilitate convergence of incomes in poor countries to those of the rich, but they have also agreed to de-carbonize the global economy. These objectives are incompatible, as illustrated by the rise in CO₂ emissions that accompanied economic growth in China. Mitigation is too costly, imposes a large burden on the poor, and is unlikely to prevent global warming – the concentration of CO₂ in the atmospheric keeps increasing and human emissions show no sign of slowing. Therefore, climate engineering and adaptation are preferred to mitigation, particularly since the science is less than adequate for making firm statements about the Earth’s future climate.

All solutions to environmental collapse offered by politicians require tough government controls on individuals. – James Wanliss, physicist

Climate policy is all about distributing income from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries. – Fred Singer, climate scientist and global warming sceptic