What's Wrong with Climate Politics and How to Fix It

Governments have failed to stem global emissions of carbon dioxideand other greenhouse gases causing climate change. Indeed,climate-changing pollution is increasing globally, and will do sofor decades to come without far more aggressive action. Whatexplains this failure to effectively tackle one of the world's mostserious problems? And what can we do about it?To answer these questions, Paul G. Harris looks at climate politicsas a doctor might look at a very sick patient. He performs urgentdiagnoses and prescribes vital treatments to revive our ailingplanet before it's too late.The book begins by diagnosing what's most wrong with climatepolitics, including the anachronistic international system, whichencourages nations to fight for their narrowly perceived interestsand makes major cuts in greenhouse pollution extraordinarilydifficult; the deadlock between the United States and China, whichtogether produce over one-third of global greenhouse gas pollutionbut do little more than demand that the other act first; andaffluent lifestyles and overconsumption, which are spreadingrapidly from industrialized nations to the developing world.The book then prescribes several remedies for the failed politicsof climate change, including a new kind of climate diplomacy withpeople at its center, national policies that put the common butdifferentiated responsibilities of individuals alongside those ofnations, and a campaign for simultaneously enhancing humanwellbeing and environmental sustainability. While these treatmentsare aspirational, they are not intended to be utopian. As Harrisshows, they are genuine, workable solutions to what ails thepolitics of climate change today.