Environmental Follies and the Economic Misunderstandings that Underlie Them

This book examines the profound economic, political, and social challenges posed by climate change, on the basis of a rigorous analysis of the cost of doing too little to control it and of the costs, benefits, and trade-offs of various mitigation strategies. It uniquely explores the global economic mechanisms and power dynamics driving inaction. Packed with case studies and actionable insights, it bridges complex economic theories and links them to practical solutions, making it an important resource for policymakers, academics, and thinkers focused on solutions.

Includes a measure of the total effort and economic cost required to transform environmental goals to meaningful actions Provides clear explanations of carbon pricing, sequestration, adaptation, geoengineering and other central concepts Breaks down the cost of addressing climate change into its key components

Autorentext

R. Albert Berry is Professor Emeritus of economics and member of the Munk School of Global Affairs at University of Toronto. He has taught at Yale University, the University of Western Ontario and the University of Toronto, as well as working at the World Bank, the Colombian Planning Commission and the Ford Foundation. His research has focussed on agriculture, labour markets and income distribution in developing countries, and more recently on the economics of climate change.

Inhalt

Chapter 1: Introduction and a Preview of Chapter Contents.-Section 1: The Perils of Global Warming.- Chapter 2: Background to Global Warming.- Chapter 3: The Weak Response to Global Warming and the Ignorance and Dishonesty Behind it.- Chapter 4: Global Warming: Public Opinion and its Impact on Policy.- Section 11: Other Environmental Challenges: The Mismanagement and Degradation of Land, Forests, Water, Air and Space.- Chapter 5: How Badly-structured Agriculture Contributes to Climate Change and Other Environmental Problems.- Chapter 6: The Challenges around Forests, Water, Air and Space.- Chapter 7: Saving flora and fauna.- Section 111: Summing Up: A World in Crises.- Chapter 8: The World's Weak Response to Environmental Challenges: An Overview.