Summary
Summary of the article "The Economics of Global Climate Change" by Harris and Roach
- Course
- Institution
This is a summary of the article "The Economics of Global Climate Change" written by Harris and Roach
[Show more]
Seller
Follownathaliegeerts
Reviews received
Content preview
The Economics of Global ClimateChange
1 Causes and consequences of climate change
The atmosphere is a global commons into which individuals and firms can release
pollution.
In many countries environmental protection laws limit the release of local and regional air
pollutants.
If indeed the effects of climate change are likely to be severe, it is in everyone’s interest to
lower their emissions for the common good. If no agreement or rules on emissions exist,
actions by individual firms, cities or nations will be inadequate. Climate change can thus be
viewed as a public good issue, requiring collaborative action. Since the problem is global,
only a strong international agreement binding nations to act for the common good can
prevent serious environmental consequences.
Because CO2 and other greenhouse gases continuously accumulate in the atmosphere,
stabilizing or “freezing” emissions will not solve the problem.
Greenhouse gases are stock pollutants: only major reductions in emissions, to a level
consistent with the planet’s absorptive capacity, will prevent ever-increasing atmospheric
accumulations.
Trends and Projections for Global Carbon Emissions
Progress on combating global climate change has been slow, despite three global
conferences dealing with the issue:
- the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) at
Rio de Janeiro,
- a 1997 meeting in Kyoto, Japan that produced the agreement known as the Kyoto
Protocol,
- the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002
the industrialized countries were responsible for just over half of global carbon emissions.
However most of the growth in future carbon emissions is expected to come from rapidly
expanding developing economies
Trends and Projections for Global Climate
Warmer temperatures have produced noticeable effects on ecosystems:
- In most regions of the world, glaciers are retreating
- Climate change is also leading to rising sea levels
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller nathaliegeerts. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $3.24. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
60904 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now