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Library | Item Barcode | Call Number | Material Type | Item Category 1 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... | 30000010336180 | HC79.P55 N49 2010 | Open Access Book | Book | Searching... |
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Summary
Summary
Confronting climate change is now understood as a problem of 'decarbonising' the global economy: ending our dependence on carbon-based fossil fuels. This book explores whether such a transformation is underway, how it might be accelerated, and the complex politics of this process. Given the dominance of global capitalism and free-market ideologies, decarbonisation is dependent on creating carbon markets and engaging powerful actors in the world of business and finance. Climate Capitalism assesses the huge political dilemmas this poses, and the need to challenge the entrenched power of many corporations, the culture of energy use, and global inequalities in energy consumption. Climate Capitalism is essential reading for anyone wanting to better understand the challenge we face. It will also inform a range of student courses in environmental studies, development studies, international relations, and business programmes.
Reviews 1
Choice Review
Newell (Univ. of East Anglia, UK) and Paterson (Univ. of Ottawa, Canada) offer a political history of efforts to combat global climate change and suggest several possible transformations of capitalism in an economy significantly constrained by the effects of global warming. The authors do not argue against the current scientific consensus regarding climate change, and in that regard will do little to change the minds of those who disagree. Rather, they use the scientific consensus as their starting point and suggest that the current capitalist model is changing in light of the potential effects of global warming--their "climate capitalism"--and provide what they believe are the principle movements in that direction. Beginning with the 1992 UN Rio conference and tracing the changing perspectives of the insurance, financial services, and energy industries, the book articulates underlying changes in the current capitalist model that add up to a movement away from an economic system unconstrained by fossil fuel consumption. Of particular value are the chapters addressing criticisms of market mechanisms and arguments in favor of strict governance structures to aid in transparency and efficiency. Although it breaks little new ground, this book is a well-argued, well-researched, very interesting read for the political history provided. Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels. B. J. Peterson Central College
Table of Contents
| Preface | p. ix |
| Acknowledgements | p. xi |
| List of abbreviations | p. xiii |
| 1 Introducing climate capitalism | p. 1 |
| 2 Histories of climate, histories of capitalism | p. 11 |
| 3 Climate for business: from threat to opportunity | p. 36 |
| 4 Mobilising the power of investors | p. 60 |
| 5 Searching for flexibility, creating a market | p. 78 |
| 6 Caps, trades and profits | p. 94 |
| 7 Buying our way out of trouble | p. 108 |
| 8 The limits of climate capitalism | p. 129 |
| 9 Governing the carbon economy | p. 141 |
| 10 What futures for climate capitalism? | p. 161 |
| Conclusions | p. 182 |
| Glossary | p. 189 |
| Index | p. 199 |
