ABSTRACT

Examining one of the most crucial issues in the modern world: human induced climate change, here Clive Spash provides a refreshing interdisciplinary perspective, pulling together strands of natural science, economics and ethics. Described by John Gowdy as ‘the best exposition to date on the political economy of climate policy’, this remarkable volume poses serious questions and gives intelligent answers. The issues it addresses are relevant to a range of environmental problems, and it covers themes such as:







  • How do we deal with uncertainty and ignorance?


  • What roles do science and economics play in policy formation?


  • To what extent should individuals take responsibility for the society in which they and their descendants live?


By rigorously examining international and governmental sources, and key contemporary issues, Spash provides an up-to-date and informative analysis. A well-organized study (including a glossary and helpful acronym list), this book will be of strong interest to students and academics in the fields of ecological and environmental economics, and is essential reading for all those to whom climate change is a professional or personal concern.

chapter 1|24 pages

Climate change

Introducing some of the issues

chapter 3|37 pages

Impacts of global climate change

chapter 4|23 pages

Weak uncertainty

Risk and imperfect information

chapter 5|33 pages

Strong uncertainty

Ignorance and indeterminacy

chapter 7|17 pages

Loading the dice?

Values, opinions and ethics

chapter 8|20 pages

Dividing time and discounting the future

chapter 9|30 pages

Economics, ethics and future generations

chapter 10|32 pages

Science, economics and policy