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AIMS Energy

2018, Volume 6, Issue 2: 272-290. doi: 10.3934/energy.2018.2.272
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Energy policy and economics under climate change

  • 1.
    Department of Design, Monash University-Caulfield Campus, P.O. Box 197, Caulfield East, Victoria 3145, Australia
  • 2.
    Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University-Clayton Campus, Victoria, Australia
  • Received: 31 January 2018 Accepted: 23 March 2018 Published: 04 April 2018

  • Most anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are the result of the combustion of fossil fuels. Proposals for mitigating climate change thus include various carbon dioxide removal technologies, replacement of fossil fuels by non-carbon alternatives (renewable and nuclear energy), and reduction in energy use overall by improving energy efficiency. We argue here that deep controversy surrounds the efficacy and likely costs of all these technical fix proposals. Optimistic conclusions are often drawn for these technical solutions partly because many of the analyses do not follow an Earth Systems Science approach. Instead, we argue that in future solutions based on non-technical solutions will need to be a key approach for mitigating climate change in the short time frame we have left.

    Citation: Patrick Moriarty, Damon Honnery. Energy policy and economics under climate change[J]. AIMS Energy, 2018, 6(2): 272-290. doi: 10.3934/energy.2018.2.272

    Related Papers:

  • Most anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are the result of the combustion of fossil fuels. Proposals for mitigating climate change thus include various carbon dioxide removal technologies, replacement of fossil fuels by non-carbon alternatives (renewable and nuclear energy), and reduction in energy use overall by improving energy efficiency. We argue here that deep controversy surrounds the efficacy and likely costs of all these technical fix proposals. Optimistic conclusions are often drawn for these technical solutions partly because many of the analyses do not follow an Earth Systems Science approach. Instead, we argue that in future solutions based on non-technical solutions will need to be a key approach for mitigating climate change in the short time frame we have left.


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