To be effective, policies will require support from the public and from key interest groups. Governments cannot act alone to cut emissions - individuals, communities, and businesses must also cooperate. Education and public information is vital. For example, increased energy consciousness would encourage people to adopt any number of minor changes in their lifestyles, such as riding public transport, using more efficient lighting and appliances, and re-using materials to reduce the need for exploiting natural resources. Many other changes in the high-consumption lifestyles of the rich countries are also possible.
Cooperation is also essential at the international level.
But the need for internationally-agreed targets and timetables for emissions reductions and for financial and technological cooperation is more universally accepted. Policymakers must therefore be sensitive to both national conditions and to international trends and concerns. The prudent response to climate change is to adopt a portfolio of actions aimed at mitigation, adaptation, and research. The economic literature suggests that the optimal policy mix will necessarily differ among countries and over time. The challenge is not for all countries to agree on what is the single best policy and to maintain it for the next 100 years.