ABSTRACT
Climate change is today often seen as one of the most challenging issue that our civilisation will have to face during the twenty-first century. This is especially so now that the most recent scientific data have led to the conclusion that “the globally averaged net effect of human activities since 1750 has been one of warming” (IPCC, 2007a, p. 5) and “that continued greenhouse gas emissions at or above current rates would cause further warming” (IPCC, 2007a, p. 13). This unequivocal link between climate change and anthropogenic activities requires an urgent, world-wide shift towards a low-carbon economy (Stern, 2006, p. iv) and coordinated policies and measures to manage this transition.
