Policymakers in developed economies and emerging markets alike are increasingly concerned about the catastrophic implications of climate change and are beginning to work towards building a more sustainable future on an increasingly crowded and resource-hungry planet.

Scientific consensus now estimates that, at current yearly levels of Green House Gas emissions into the atmosphere, average surface temperature will increase by 2 to 4.5 degrees centigrade by the end of the century. The economic costs of inaction are estimated to be in the areas of 5 per cent of global GDP per year. The risks of inaction are thus enormous and there are sizeable collective action problems that must be overcome. But, as Lord Nicholas Stern recently remarked, the costs of mitigating climate change are manageable and informed public discourse can be a powerful driver in overcoming sluggish policy progress. British Politics and Policy at LSE ran a series on Climate Change and Environmental Policy in 2012.

This ecollection is a select sample of some of the most interesting posts from that series. Access to the full spectrum of articles on this theme is available online.

Download ecollection as PDF: Debating Environmental Policy