Climate And Energy Governance For A Sustainable Future

Climate change is a cause for concern both globally and locally. In order for it to be tackled holistically, its governance is an important topic needing scientific and practical consideration. Climate change governance is an emerging area, and one which is closely related to state and public administrative systems and the behaviour of private actors, including the business sector, as well as the civil society and non-governmental organisations. Questions of climate change governance deal both with mitigation and adaptation whilst at the same time trying to devise effective ways of managing the consequences of these measures across the different sectors. Many books have been produced on general matters related to climate change, such as climate modelling, temperature variations, sea level rise, but, to date, very few publications have addressed the political, economic and social elements of climate change and their links with governance. This book will address this gap. Furthermore, a particular feature of this book is that it not only presents different perspectives on climate change governance, but it also introduces theoretical approaches and brings these together with practical examples which show how main principles may be implemented in practice.

This book includes contributions by leading experts across the globe with the first part of the book focusing on the analysis of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, examines COP26, and questions the political process in the US for the creation of policy for meaningful greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Part 2 explores various ways in which one can effectively mitigate climate change. The contents provide an analysis of carbon pricing, development of specific green energy technologies to promote economic prosperity, and analysis of electric vehicles and other elements of electrification in areas with carbon-intensive electricity supply. Part 3 analyses the international dimension of energy governance (both regional and global) and climate action. It further provides an analysis of the challenges faced by small island developing states, least-developed countries and other vulnerable places. It also offers an analysis of the prospects for a European Energy Union and explores why energy security and decarbonization are significant. Lastly, it explores global energy governance and how its fragmentation can be reduced. This volume will be a useful reference for those in industry and academia.

It argues that the formation and implementation of local climate change policy has been limited by the resources and powers of local government, and by conflicts between economic and environmental objectives.

This book makes an in-depth and timely contribution to the debate about how to transform our energy governance systems into ones that support a fair, safe and sustainable society. It combines perspectives from leading scholars around the world to provide a global outlook on alternative approaches to energy governance and innovative experiences. Taken as a whole, it offers a unique snapshot of some of the innovative and novel ways in which law can support the shift to sustainable and equitable energy systems.

Energy and Environmental Law and Policy Series #41 We know the science of climate change; we know the economics of climate change; we also know the law of climate change. However, we do not know how countries may come together to cooperate on climate change mitigation. In this connection, the role of international trade in climate change, although universally acknowledged, is not well understood. This groundbreaking book by one of the world’s foremost authorities on international economic law not only investigates this role in great depth, but also explains how free trade agreements can be used as a powerful tool to help mitigate climate change. Focusing on the idea of climate clubs—namely the coalition of the willing—among governments, companies, and/or international institutions, the book offers insightful analysis on aspects of the trade–climate linkage such as: formation of climate clubs; legitimacy and accountability; technological cooperation; green patents; how competition law hinders effective cooperation between companies seeking to produce sustainable goods; domestic policy preferences; recognizing States that should legitimately be allowed to be free riders; and sanctions for noncompliance. Three detailed case studies are included: a comparison of the U.S. and European Union (EU) Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) programs, energy security in the Arab world, and EU–Russia energy trade relations. With the author’s conviction that global access to energy, mitigating climate change, and benefit from international trade and investment all can be achieved, this book offers a fresh understanding of the international trading system as a way to reach a prosperous, modern, and sustainable society that will help decarbonize the economy effectively. It will be welcomed by all professionals and policymakers concerned with climate change mitigation, and particularly by those active at its nexus with international trade.

Analysing the interactions between institutions in the climate change and energy nexus, including the consequences for their legitimacy and effectiveness. Prominent researchers from political science and international relations compare three policy domains: renewable energy, fossil fuel subsidy reform, and carbon pricing. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

The world is undergoing major transitions due to three driving forces—population changes, climate changes, and energy resource constraints—making it essential for us to move toward sustainability in the implementation of projects and programs as well as our everyday life. Real sustainability exists where there is a balance between population and energy usage and a stable climate—global equilibrium. Designed for program and portfolio managers and senior planners, Sustainable Program Management provides essential information on the three major driving forces of the coming decades and presents options to assist us in moving toward a sustainable future. This book offers a unique approach to accommodating the three new constraints of population change, climate change, and energy resources as impacts on programs and portfolios. It presents them in the form of overlays, which facilitate planning by considering the effects of these additional constraints on a program, along with schedule, budget, and performance constraints. The overlays summarize the book’s extensive analyses of these global challenges. The book is divided into sections on population change, climate change, and energy resource constraints and provides background information and overlays for each one. The author discusses scenarios, possible solutions, and probable outcomes, which provide the basis for evaluating the risks and the sustainability considerations involved. The final section of the text addresses planning for real sustainability and describes six pathways toward a sustainable system. This practical book familiarizes readers with these new global challenges to program management and provides a basis for developing sustainable and successful programs.

One of the most heartening developments in climate change mitigation in recent years has been the increasing attention paid to the principle of ‘thinking globally and acting locally’. The failure of the international community to reach significant global agreements on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions has led local governments, environmental organisations and citizens themselves to focus increasingly on the local possibilities for action on climate change. This book analyses the strengths and weaknesses of the co-production of climate policies that take place where citizen engagement and local initiatives converge with public agencies. Case studies from Northern Europe, Australia/New Zealand and the USA reveal that traditional individualist approaches to promoting environmental behaviour epitomised by information campaigns and economic incentives cannot trigger the deep behavioural changes required to materially improve our response to climate change. Only by marshalling the forces of thousands, and eventually millions of citizens, can we manage to reach environmental sceptics, reinforce political action and create the new social norms that are sorely needed in our local, and global, response to climate change. This book will be of great relevance to scholars and policy makers with an interest in climate change politics and governance, community engagement and sustainable development.