9:30-10:30 am
Climate Economics and International Treaties
Prof. Scott Barrett, Lenfest-Earth Institute Professor of Natural Resources
What should the world do about human-induced climate change? What can the world do about it? The first question acknowledges that climate change policy involves costs and benefits, and that these may affect different people in different ways. This means that the economics of climate change cannot be considered independently of ethics. The second question recognizes that what we are able to do about climate change depends on politics and international law. What has been the history of international negotiations? Why have past efforts failed? How might these negotiations evolve?
Suggested readings
S. Barrett, The Coming Global Climate-Technology Revolution, Journal of Economic Perspectives 23(2), 2009: p. 53-75
S. Barrett, Climate Treaties and the Imperative of Enforcement, Oxford Review of Economic Policy 24(2), 2008: p. 239-258.
Additional readings
N. Stern, The Economics of Climate Change, American Economic Review Papers and Proceedings 98(2), 2008: p. 1-37.
W. D. Nordhaus, A Review of the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, Journal of Economic Literature 45(3), 2007: p. 686-702.
M.L. Weitzman, A Review of The Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, Journal of Economic Literature 45(3), 2007: p. 703-724.
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10:30-11:00 am
Cities as a Front Line for Climate Change Action
Dr. William Solecki, Director, CUNY Institute for Sustainable Cities
and Professor of Geography at Hunter College - CUNY
The objective of the presentation is to discuss how and why cities are responding to climate change. In many ways, cities are at the leading edge of impacts and vulnerabilities as well as the drivers of climate change. Cities throughout the world are taking action to adapt to climate change and promote climate change mitigation. To address these points, the presentation is organized into three sections: 1). Identify and discuss impacts and vulnerabilities that cities face with climate change; 2). Examine ways in which cities are responding to challenges and opportunities connected with climate change adaptation and mitigation; and 3). Present a detailed case study discussion of how the City of New York as a global city leader is moving against climate risks and promoting greenhouse emission reduction activities.
Suggested readings
Rosenzweig, C. and Solecki, W. Eds., Climate Change Adaptation in New York City: Building a Risk Management Response-Report of New York City Panel on Climate Change. Annals of New York Academy of Sciences, Volume 1195., 2010Executive Summary and Chapter 1
Rosenzweig, C. Solecki, W., Hammer, S., and Mehrotra, S., Cities Lead the in Climate-Change Action, Nature, October 21 2010, 467: 909-911
Rosenzweig, C., Solecki, W., Hammer, S., Mehrotra, S. Eds., Climate Change and Cities - First Assessment Report of the Urban Climate Change Research Network. New York, Cambridge University Press, 2011, Chapter 1
Solecki, W., and Leichenko, R., Urbanization and the Metropolitan Environment: Lessons from New York and Shanghai. Environment 48, 2006: 8-23
Additional Reading
Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, Special Issue on Climate Change and Cities, Volume 3, Issue 3, Pages 113-198. May 2011
Hoornweg, D., Freire, M., Lee, M.J., Bhada-Tata, P., Yuen, B., Eds., Cities and Climate Change: Responding to an Urgent Agenda (Urban Development). Washington DC, World Bank, 2011
Rosenzweig C., All Climate Is Local: How Mayors Fight Global Warming. Scientific American, September. Part of a special issue on cities, 2011
Rosenzweig, C. Solecki, W.D., Blake, R., Bowman, M., Faris, C., Gornitz, V., Jacob, K., LeBlanc, A., Leichenko, R., Sussman, E., Yohe, G., Zimmerman, R., Developing coastal adaptation to climate change in New York City infrastructure-shed: process, approach, tools, and strategies, 2011. Climatic Change.
Rosenzweig, C., Solecki, W., Gornitz, V., and Horton, R. Major, D., and Zimmerman, R., Developing Coastal Adaptation to Climate Change in New York City: Challenges and Opportunities. American Association for the Advancement of Science. In press, 2010
Solecki, W., O’Brien, K., and Leichenko, R., Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation Strategies: Convergence and Synergies. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 2010
UN Habitat. (2011). Cities and Climate Change: Global Report on Human Settlements. Global Report on Human Settlements (Series title). Washington DC, Earthscan, 2011
Web Resources
C40 (http://www.c40cities.org) – collaboration of larger world cities focused on climate change adaptation and mitigation
ICLEI (International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives) Local Governmental for Sustainability program (http://www.iclei.org/)
Mayors Summit http://www.worldmayorscouncil.org associated with the UNFCCC, COP progress (http://unfccc.int/2860.php) - coll
UN Habitat Program (http://www.unhabitat.org/)
Urban Climate Change Research Network (http://www.uccrn.org/)
Urbanization and Global Environmental Change Research Network (http://www.ihdp.unu.edu/article/read/ugec)
World Bank Cities Alliance Program (http://www.citiesalliance.org/ca/wb)
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