Environment

Many studies of the effect of climate change on GDP seriously mislead the research community, policymakers, and the general public.

Some cautionary remarks

The 4th Law, Economics & Policy Conference (LEPC) is a virtual, multi-capsule conference series that aims to bring together legal, economic and public policy thinkers to consider a variety of real world issues in India in a holistic manner.

For several weeks, representatives of governments across the globe gathered in Glasgow to discuss plans for climate mitigation and adaptation. But the meetings were dominated by representatives of the world’s most advanced economies, often to the detriment of the places where the majority of the world’s population lives: the developing world.

Patrick Bond, sociology professor at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, discusses the urgent need for climate reparations for Africa, in light of the COP26 climate summit, and why market solutions will not work to address the problems Africa is currently facing. Part 2 of 2.

Political economist, author, and public speaker Ann Pettifor talks about her latest book, The Case for a Green New Deal, which not only lays out the urgency for such a deal, but also proposes a roadmap for both national and global financial reform to make it possible.

Princeton economics professor Markus Brunnermeier discusses his recently released book, The Resilient Society, which argues that in crisis-prone situations societal resilience is a crucial component for averting outright disaster and outlines how we might achieve that resilience.

Climate change is a collective problem that has largely been addressed through market-based solutions focused on individual actors. Economics has been a driving factor behind this market approach. The push for continued and perpetual economic growth is seen by many as incompatible with climate action. What is the role of economics in addressing the climate crisis? Can existing economic paradigms deliver an equitable low-carbon future?

Ambitious climate policy needs a broad-based organizing effort to combat the fossil fuel industry. As the climate movement moves towards embracing racial and economic justice as part of climate advocacy, what strategies and policies are needed to build a multi-racial, multi-class coalition? How can movements build the power needed to ensure the low-carbon transition is just?

Scientists have been sounding the alarm for decades about the severe global impact that rising temperatures will have on the environment, economies, and health outcomes, and ultimately humanity’s long-term survival. With disaster after disaster stacking up, the time for action is now.

The path to sustainable and just climate transition globally cannot happen without meaningful actions and cooperation between the US and China – the world’s largest economies and carbon emitters. What can we expect from US-China climate relations?

How do we pay for the vast transformation required? Who is responsible to whom, and how do we decide?

Can we realize the energy transition? What institutions might help us do so? What is the role of technology?