Turning down the heat : the politics of climate policy in affluent democracies / edited by Hugh Compston and Ian Bailey.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction; H.Compston and I.Bailey PART I: CONTEXT Climate Policy: Issues and Opportunities; T.Barker Political Science Perspectives on Climate Policy; G.Bryner The International Dimension of Climate Policy; D.Davenport PART II: ANALYSIS The European Union and the Politics of Multi-Level Climate Governance; C.Damro and D.McKenzie Federal Climate Politics in the United States: Polarization and Paralysis; P.Brewer and A.Pease Hot Air and Cold Feet: The UK Response to Climate Change; I.Lorenzoni, T.O'Riordan and N.Pidgeon France: Towards an Alternative Climate Policy Template?; J.Szarka German Climate Policy between Global Leadership and Muddling Through; A.Michaelowa Conflict and Consensus: The Swedish Model of Climate Politics; L.Friberg Prometheanism and the Greek Energy Zugzwang; I.Botetzagias Facing up to the Greenhouse Challenge? Australian Climate Politics; I.Bailey and S.Maresh Explaining the Failure of Canadian Climate Policy; D.Mcdonald Climate Policy in the United States: State and Regional Leadership; A.M.Chatrchyan and P.M.Doughman PART III: CONCLUSIONS Political Strategy and Climate Policy; H.Compston and I.Bailey

It is now generally agreed that climate change is occurring and that greenhouse gas emissions need to be cut very significantly if it is to be brought under control, yet governments in affluent democracies are not implementing policies that have the capacity to do this. As economists have identified numerous economically viable ways of radically cutting emissions, it is clear that the obstacles to decisive action are political in nature. This book tackles the issue of how these might be overcome by providing a broad-ranging and authoritative overview of the contemporary politics of climate policy in affluent democracies in order to identify political strategies that would make it easier for governments to make major cuts in greenhouse gas emissions without sustaining significant political damage. As such it is essential reading for anyone who wishes to improve their understanding of how climate change can be stopped.