Introduction and Synthesis

TY - CHAP

T1 - Introduction and Synthesis

AU - Arendt, D.

AU - Arndt, Thomas Channing

AU - Miller, M.

AU - Tarp, Finn

AU - Zinaman, O.

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - Climate change is frequently referred to as one of the defining challenges of the twenty-first century. The authors of this chapter concur. In broad terms, the climate challenge is relatively straightforward. Global average temperatures are rising as a consequence of anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases. In the absence of deliberate and global action to substantially reduce and then eliminate (or even turn net negative) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, global temperature rise within this century is very likely to surpass two degrees Celsius (IPCC 2014), which is the (somewhat arbitrary) threshold set by the international community as a tolerable level. Continuation of current levels of emissions or continued growth in emissions throughout the twenty-first century could result in warming far above the two- degree threshold with very bad implications for the planet, for human societies, particularly poor people.

AB - Climate change is frequently referred to as one of the defining challenges of the twenty-first century. The authors of this chapter concur. In broad terms, the climate challenge is relatively straightforward. Global average temperatures are rising as a consequence of anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases. In the absence of deliberate and global action to substantially reduce and then eliminate (or even turn net negative) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, global temperature rise within this century is very likely to surpass two degrees Celsius (IPCC 2014), which is the (somewhat arbitrary) threshold set by the international community as a tolerable level. Continuation of current levels of emissions or continued growth in emissions throughout the twenty-first century could result in warming far above the two- degree threshold with very bad implications for the planet, for human societies, particularly poor people.

KW - Faculty of Social Sciences

KW - Climate change

KW - Greenhouse gas emissions

KW - global temperature rise

KW - Global action

KW - poor people

U2 - 10.1093/oso/9780198802242.003.0001

DO - 10.1093/oso/9780198802242.003.0001

M3 - Book chapter

SN - 9780198802242

T3 - WIDER Studies in Development Economics

SP - 3

EP - 15

BT - The Political Economy of Clean Energy Transitions

A2 - Arendt, D.

A2 - Arndt, Channing

A2 - Miller, M.

A2 - Tarp, Finn

A2 - Zinaman, O.

PB - Oxford University Press

ER -