The Climate Fix: What Scientists and Politicians Won't Tell You About Global Warming

by Roger Pielke Jr.

Overview

Why has the world been unable to address global warming? Science policy expert Roger Pielke, Jr., says it's not the fault of those who reject the Kyoto Protocol, but those who support it, and the magical thinking that the agreement represents. In The Climate Fix, Pielke offers a way to repair climate policy, shifting the debate away from meaningless targets and toward a revolution in how the world's economy is powered, while de-fanging the venomous politics surrounding the crisis. The debate on global warming has lost none of its power to polarize and provoke in a haze of partisan vitriol. The Climate Fix will bring something new to the discussions: a commonsense perspective and practical actions better than any offered so far.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780465025190
Publisher:	Basic Books
Publication date:	12/06/2011
Edition description:	First Trade Paper Edition
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

Roger Pielke, Jr., is a professor of environmental studies at the University of Colorado. The author of The Honest Broker, he lives in Boulder, Colorado.

Table of Contents

Preface vii

1 Dinner Table Climate Science for Commonsense Climate Policy 1

2 What We Know for Sure, but Just Ain't So 35

3 Decarbonization of the Global Economy 61

4 Decarbonization Policies Around the World 81

5 Technological Fixes and Backstops 117

6 How Climate Policy Went Off Course and the First Steps Back in the Right Direction 143

7 Disasters, Death, and Destruction 161

8 The Politicization of Climate Science 191

9 Obliquity, Innovation, and a Pragmatic Future for Climate Policy 217

Acknowledgments 239

Notes 243

Index 267

Editorial Reviews

D. James Baker, William J. Clinton Foundation and former Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
“Pielke's thoughtful analysis of how climate science has interacted with policy - often not productively - provides new and engaging insights. Moreover, his conclusion about the importance of decarbonization and disaggregating climate policy gives the climate debate a new dimension. By weaving his personal story into the development of these issues, he presents a compelling narrative that deserves a wide readership.”

Kerry Emanuel, Professor of Atmospheric Science, MIT
“Roger Pielke, Jr., cuts through passions and politics to propose a clear and sober way forward in addressing one of the critical issues of our time.”

The Economist
“A bright and provocative book…the arguments for an energy-innovation approach to climate change seem currently to be gaining ground… For those who want to understand them, this [book] is a very good place to start.”

Slate.com
“This year's must-read global warming book.”



John Marburger, Vice President for Research, Stony Brook University and former Science Advisor to President George W. Bush
“Roger Pielke, Jr.'s voice in the global warming debate is one of rare common sense. While many authors link anthropogenic climate change with energy technology, Pielke, Jr. goes farther and emphasizes the role of development economics and deep seated social behaviors that cannot easily be addressed. You may not agree with his ‘oblique, pragmatic' proposal for ‘accelerating decarbonization' of society, but you will be hard-pressed to find a better analysis of the thorniest aspects of the climate challenge.”

Neal Lane, Malcolm Gillis University Professor and Senior Fellow in Science and Technology at the Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University; former Science Advisor to President William J. Clinton
"The present climate policy stalemate cries out for a new approach in dealing with a challenge that is unprecedented in scope and complexity. This book offers scientists, policy makers and the general public a critical perspective and thoughtful suggestions for a way forward. It should be read by anyone who cares about the future of the planet and its people.”

From the Publisher

Pielke (The Honest Broker) presents a smart and hard-nosed analysis of the politics and science of climate change and proposes “a commonsense approach to climate policy.” According to Pielke, the “iron law of climate policy” dictates that whenever “environmental and economic objectives are placed in opposition to each other,” economics always wins. “Climate policies must be made compatible with economic growth as a precondition for their success,” he writes, and because the world will need more energy in the future, an “oblique” approach supporting “causes,” such as developing affordable alternative energy sources rather than “consequences,” such as controversial schemes like cap-and-trade, is more likely to succeed. Although some may protest on principle the suggestion that we accept the inevitability of energy growth, Pielke’s focus on adaptation to climate change refreshingly sidesteps the unending debate over the reality of anthropogenic climate change, and opens up the possibility for effective action that places “human dignity and democratic ideals at the center of climate policies.” (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

Pielke, an environmentalist, policy analyst, and son of a noted meteorologist, clearly has a distinct, insider's understanding of the highly charged global-warming issue. Here, he sets out to "clarify the climate debate in a way that anyone who can use a bit of addition, multiplication, and common sense can make sense of." The discussions have become so polarized as an issue of policy vs. science that the actual concerns have gotten lost. The numerous recent books on the topic only add to the debate. Pielke is unusual, as he neatly separates the science of climate change from the rhetoric, bringing the issue back to the realm of rational discussion. Assuming that readers have a working knowledge of climate science, he handles the technical aspects in a general way. It is not until the end that he briefly discusses specifics of how climate change could actually impact the future. VERDICT Overall, an excellent primer for getting past the politically charged debate clouding the issues. Recommended for readers confused by the deluge of conflicting climate information and willing to revisit the quandary and make their own assessments.—Marianne Stowell Bracke, Purdue Univ. Libs., West Lafayette, IN

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