We have written this book to increase understanding of why it takes so long for governments and others to agree on how to respond to the challenges of global climate change,and why it is important for them to continue to try to do so. This book does not catalogue the environmental disasters that are the unattractive and disturbing by-products of modern lifestyles, popular notions of progress and visions of prosperity.Neither does this book detail the intricate processes of creating policies that respond to the scientific calls for action in order to safeguard the natural world.Such endeavours tend,necessarily,to be complex and impenetrable to all but those who are closely engaged in such matters. Instead,this book exam- ines why it is so difficult for the international community to respond to global climate change. In doing ?,we have endeavoured to analyse and explain some of the strategies (hat might ultimately provide the foundations for appropriate responses.
Responding to climate change is not simply a matter of finding cleaner,newer technologies or drafting policies and laws within states to curb pollution and carbon production. It is not a matter of protecting species and habitats or remembering to turn off the lights and put out the recycling.Global climate change requires appreciating how our rich and complex ways of life are interconnected with the natural environ- ment and its ecosystems. It requires all of us, an d our political leaders, to recognise that 'a picture of indefinite expansion is an impossible story of the future',and the well-being of future generations relies upon our willingness to compromise among ourselves to achieve sustainable and morally equitable forms of progress and ways of life (Stern,2009, p.10) Addressing the impacts of global climate change requires more than an appreciation of the sciences and more than carbon taxes or subsidies for new cleaner energy producers. Appropriate responses require an appre ciation of how politics and political decision-making, in the pursuit of greater levels of international order, progress, prosperity and democracy. have contributed towards global climate change. This is useful because t also helps to explain why we also find ourselves poorly equipped to iccept the grim consequences. While this does not, of itselt, present immediate solutions,we have written this book because we believe that politics will ultimately furnish us with them.However,this possibility depends upon effective and courageous political leadership. Without it, politics will stand in the way of finding and enacting timely solutions. We hope that the conversations begun by readers will contribute to new political solutions to these potentially overwhelming problems.

List of Figures and Tables vi

Series Editor's Preface vii

Preface ix

Acknowledgements xi

Introduction:Why We Wrote This Book 1

1 Waiting for What? 14

2 Limits to Global Consensus 33

3 Governing Nature and Global Governance 49

4 A Rowdy and Unruly Community 66

5 Water, Disorder and Disrupted Development 80

6 Energy,Progress and Population 96

7 Energy and the Security Dilemma 113

8 Water,Food and Fire 134

9 Solutions, Ideas and Institutions 155

10 Rights, Responsibilities and Sovereignty 172

11 Identity,Ethics,Security and Order 189

12 Global Guardians 205

Conclusion:Why Global Responses Take Time 218

Bibliograpiny 227

Inddex 249

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