Climate rationality : from bias to balance /
Johnston, Jason Scott,author.
"Most environmental statutes passed since 1970 have endorsed a pragmatic or 'precautionary' principle under which the existence of a significant risk is enough to trigger regulation. At the same time, targets of such regulation have often argued on grounds of inefficiency that the associated costs outweigh any potential benefits. In this work, Jason Johnston unpacks and critiques the legal, economic, and scientific basis for precautionary climate policies pursued in the United States and, in doing so, sheds light on why the global warming policy debate has become increasingly bitter and disconnected from both climate science and economics. Johnston analyzes international climate science assessment organizations, the US electric power industry, and land management and renewable energy policies. Bridging between sound economics and climate science and climate law and policy, this book shows how the United States can efficiently adapt to a changing climate while radically reducing greenhouse gas emissions"--
Includes bibliographical references and index.
The endangerment game -- The precautionary principle : what it does and doesn't do -- The EPA's newfound role in regulating automobile mileage -- "It will bankrupt you" : using environmental regulations to end the mining and use of coal in the United States -- The clean power plan, the rule of law, and the EPA's takeover of state and regional electricity systems -- Renewable power and the reliability and cost of electricity -- Renewable power subsidies and mandates : harming today's environment and punishing the poor -- Spinning the tort liability roulette wheel -- But is it true? the case for taking a critical look at the economic and physical science underlying estimates of the benefits of GHG emission reduction -- "Born in politics" : the rise of the climate change science production and assessment complex -- Settling science and propagandizing for action : the structure, process, and products of the climate science production complex -- Recent observed climate change in longer-term perspective -- Beyond Co2 : causes of regional climate change that the IPCC has ignored -- Projecting future climate from computer models and far, far distant earth history -- The precautionary social cost of carbon -- Adapt and prosper : the US experience -- The surprising Sahel : the crucial role of property rights and decentralized institutions in creating incentive for adaptation -- Selected policy implications.
"Most environmental statutes passed since 1970 have endorsed a pragmatic or 'precautionary' principle under which the existence of a significant risk is enough to trigger regulation. At the same time, targets of such regulation have often argued on grounds of inefficiency that the associated costs outweigh any potential benefits. In this work, Jason Johnston unpacks and critiques the legal, economic, and scientific basis for precautionary climate policies pursued in the United States and, in doing so, sheds light on why the global warming policy debate has become increasingly bitter and disconnected from both climate science and economics. Johnston analyzes international climate science assessment organizations, the US electric power industry, and land management and renewable energy policies. Bridging between sound economics and climate science and climate law and policy, this book shows how the United States can efficiently adapt to a changing climate while radically reducing greenhouse gas emissions"--
Climatic changes
Climate change mitigation
Greenhouse gas mitigation
Global warming
Renewable energy sources
Liability for environmental damages
Environmental law