Climate Change Governance

Meadowcroft, James

dc.creator	Meadowcroft, James
dc.date	2012-03-19T19:10:34Z
dc.date	2012-03-19T19:10:34Z
dc.date	2009-05-01
dc.date.accessioned	2023-02-17T21:09:50Z
dc.date.available	2023-02-17T21:09:50Z
dc.identifier	http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20090519144015
dc.identifier	http://hdl.handle.net/10986/4135
dc.identifier.uri	http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/CUHPOERS/245172
dc.description	Climate change governance poses difficult challenges for contemporary political/administrative systems. These systems evolved to handle other sorts of problems and must now be adapted to handle emerging issues of climate change mitigation and adaptation. This paper examines long-term climate governance, particularly in relation to overcoming "institutional inertia" that hampers the development of an effective and timely response. It argues that when the influence of groups that fear adverse consequences of mitigation policies is combined with scientific uncertainty, the complexity of reaching global agreements, and long time frames, the natural tendency is for governments to delay action, to seek to avoid antagonizing influential groups, and to adopt less ambitious climate programs. Conflicts of power and interest are inevitable in relation to climate change policy. To address climate change means altering the way things are being done today - especially in terms of production and consumption practices in key sectors such as energy, agriculture, and transportation. But some of the most powerful groups in society have done well from existing arrangements, and they are cautious about disturbing the status quo. Climate change governance requires governments to take an active role in bringing about shifts in interest perceptions so that stable societal majorities in favor of deploying an active mitigation and adaptation policy regime can be maintained. Measures to help effect such change include: building coalitions for change, buying off opponents, establishing new centers of economic power, creating new institutional actors, adjusting legal rights and responsibilities, and changing ideas and accepted norms and expectations.
dc.language	English
dc.relation	Policy Research working paper ; no. WPS 4941
dc.rights	CC BY 3.0 IGO
dc.rights	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/
dc.rights	World Bank
dc.subject	ACCELERATOR
dc.subject	ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
dc.subject	AIR POLLUTION
dc.subject	AIR QUALITY
dc.subject	ANNUAL EMISSIONS
dc.subject	ASSESSMENTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
dc.subject	ATMOSPHERE
dc.subject	ATMOSPHERIC CONCENTRATIONS
dc.subject	BINDING EMISSION REDUCTION COMMITMENTS
dc.subject	BIOMASS
dc.subject	BIOSPHERE
dc.subject	CAP AND TRADE SYSTEMS
dc.subject	CARBON ABATEMENT
dc.subject	CARBON ALLOWANCES
dc.subject	CARBON BUDGETS
dc.subject	CARBON CAPTURE
dc.subject	CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS
dc.subject	CARBON ECONOMY
dc.subject	CARBON EMISSIONS
dc.subject	CARBON ENERGY
dc.subject	CARBON FOOTPRINT
dc.subject	CARBON OFFSETS
dc.subject	CARBON TAXES
dc.subject	CARBON TECHNOLOGIES
dc.subject	CLEAN AIR
dc.subject	CLIMATE ADAPTATION
dc.subject	CLIMATE CHANGE ACT
dc.subject	CLIMATE CHANGE ACTIVITIES
dc.subject	CLIMATE CHANGE AREA
dc.subject	CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS
dc.subject	CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES
dc.subject	CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION
dc.subject	CLIMATE CHANGE POLICIES
dc.subject	CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY
dc.subject	CLIMATE CHANGE RISKS
dc.subject	CLIMATE EFFECTS
dc.subject	CLIMATE IMPACTS
dc.subject	CLIMATE IMPLICATIONS
dc.subject	CLIMATE MITIGATION
dc.subject	CLIMATE PATTERNS
dc.subject	CLIMATE POLICIES
dc.subject	CLIMATE POLICY
dc.subject	CLIMATE PROTECTION
dc.subject	CLIMATE REGIME
dc.subject	CLIMATE RISKS
dc.subject	CLIMATE SYSTEM
dc.subject	CLIMATE WARMING
dc.subject	CLIMATES
dc.subject	COAL USE
dc.subject	COMBUSTION
dc.subject	COMMON GOOD
dc.subject	CONCENTRATION TARGET
dc.subject	CONSUMER PROTECTION
dc.subject	CONSUMPTION PATTERNS
dc.subject	DECISION MAKING
dc.subject	DEFORESTATION
dc.subject	DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
dc.subject	DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
dc.subject	DISTRIBUTIONAL IMPLICATIONS
dc.subject	DISTRICT HEATING
dc.subject	DOMESTIC EMISSIONS
dc.subject	ECONOMIC BENEFITS
dc.subject	ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES
dc.subject	ECONOMIC COSTS
dc.subject	ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
dc.subject	ECONOMIC FACTORS
dc.subject	ECONOMIC GROWTH
dc.subject	ECONOMIC INSTRUMENTS
dc.subject	ECONOMIC RESOURCES
dc.subject	ECONOMIC SECTORS
dc.subject	ECONOMIC VALUE
dc.subject	ECOSYSTEM
dc.subject	EFFICIENCY GAINS
dc.subject	ELECTRICITY SUPPLY
dc.subject	EMISSION REDUCTIONS
dc.subject	EMISSIONS ABATEMENT
dc.subject	EMISSIONS CAPS
dc.subject	EMISSIONS CONTROLS
dc.subject	EMISSIONS GROWTH
dc.subject	EMISSIONS LEVELS
dc.subject	EMISSIONS PATHWAYS
dc.subject	EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS
dc.subject	EMISSIONS TARGETS
dc.subject	ENERGY CONSUMPTION
dc.subject	ENERGY EFFICIENCY MEASURES
dc.subject	ENERGY POLICY
dc.subject	ENERGY PRODUCTION
dc.subject	ENERGY SECURITY
dc.subject	ENERGY SOURCES
dc.subject	ENERGY SYSTEM
dc.subject	ENERGY TAXES
dc.subject	ENERGY USE
dc.subject	ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
dc.subject	ENVIRONMENTAL BURDENS
dc.subject	ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
dc.subject	ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
dc.subject	ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
dc.subject	ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
dc.subject	EQUITY CONSIDERATIONS
dc.subject	EQUITY IMPLICATIONS
dc.subject	EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS
dc.subject	FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
dc.subject	FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS
dc.subject	FINANCIAL CRISIS
dc.subject	FINANCIAL FLOWS
dc.subject	FINANCIAL RESOURCES
dc.subject	FOREST SECTOR
dc.subject	FORESTRY SECTOR
dc.subject	FORESTS
dc.subject	FOSSIL FUELS
dc.subject	FUEL SWITCHING
dc.subject	GLOBAL AVERAGE TEMPERATURE
dc.subject	GLOBAL CLIMATE
dc.subject	GLOBAL EMISSIONS
dc.subject	GLOBAL TEMPERATURES
dc.subject	GREENHOUSE GAS CONCENTRATIONS
dc.subject	GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
dc.subject	GREENHOUSE GASSES
dc.subject	GROWTH OF CONSUMPTION
dc.subject	IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
dc.subject	IMPLICATIONS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
dc.subject	IMPORTS
dc.subject	INCOME
dc.subject	INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT
dc.subject	INSURANCE INDUSTRY
dc.subject	INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE
dc.subject	INTERNATIONAL CARBON MARKETS
dc.subject	INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE AGREEMENTS
dc.subject	INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE NEGOTIATIONS
dc.subject	INTERNATIONAL EMISSIONS
dc.subject	INTERNATIONAL TRADING
dc.subject	IPCC
dc.subject	JOBS
dc.subject	LAND USE
dc.subject	LOCAL CLIMATE
dc.subject	LOCAL CLIMATE CHANGE
dc.subject	LOW CARBON ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES
dc.subject	MANAGING CLIMATE CHANGE
dc.subject	NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY PLAN
dc.subject	NUCLEAR POWER
dc.subject	OIL PRICE
dc.subject	OZONE LAYER
dc.subject	PER CAPITA INCOME
dc.subject	POLICY APPROACH
dc.subject	POLICY DECISIONS
dc.subject	POLICY INSTRUMENTS
dc.subject	POLICY MAKERS
dc.subject	POLICY RESPONSE
dc.subject	POPULATION GROWTH
dc.subject	PORTFOLIO
dc.subject	PRECIPITATION
dc.subject	PRODUCERS
dc.subject	REGIONAL CLIMATE
dc.subject	RENEWABLE ENERGY
dc.subject	RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
dc.subject	RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE
dc.subject	SCENARIOS
dc.subject	SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE
dc.subject	SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE
dc.subject	SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
dc.subject	SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING
dc.subject	SEA LEVEL RISE
dc.subject	STAGFLATION
dc.subject	SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
dc.subject	SUSTAINABLE USE
dc.subject	TAX REVENUES
dc.subject	TEMPERATURE INCREASES
dc.subject	TIMBER
dc.subject	TRANSPORT SECTOR
dc.subject	UNCERTAINTIES
dc.subject	URBAN AIR POLLUTION
dc.subject	WEATHER CONDITIONS
dc.subject	WIND POWER
dc.title	Climate Change Governance
dc.type	Publications & Research :: Policy Research Working Paper
dc.coverage	The World Region
dc.coverage	The World Region