Climate Beyond 2012…

Climate change poses huge ethical, political, economic and technical challenges. The global community had taken initial steps to address these challenges, but this falls far short of what will be needed in the years ahead. The Kyoto Protocol, negotiated in 1997 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, requires industrialised countries to reduce their emissions by an average of 5% below 1990 levels during the first commitment period (2008-12). Most developing countries and all but two industrialised countries have ratified the Protocol – the exception being Australia and the United States. With the first commitment period ending in barely five years, the international community must now decide what is the right mix of policies and commitments needed to build the momentum required to reverse the growth of greenhouse gas emissions and help nations adapt to the unavoidable impact of climate change. Much is at stake – not least the well-being of many future generations of humanity.

This book explores the critical policy issues that will need to be addressed during the forthcoming negotiations for a post-2012 climate treaty. Particular attention is given to the implications of such a treaty for New Zealand including the issues affecting the energy, agricultural and forestry sectors. The book is based on a series of round table discussions hosted by the Institute of Policy Studies in mid-2007. The round table series was sponsored by the chief executives of the New Zealand government departments and involved about 120 people drawn from a diverse range of stakeholder groups, sectors and communities of interest. Contributors include Ralph Chapman, Pamela Chasek, Steve Hatfield-Dodds, Colin James, Lucas Kengmana, Adrian Macey and Murray Ward

ISBN: 1877347221 Published in November 2007

Paperback: $30.00 Order the book here