Protecting the Atmosphere The Climate Change Convention and its context

'The authors take us into less-known corridors of climate Realpolitik and energy power play. We are provided with the essential vocabulary to understand what is at stake and how the challenge should be tackled' Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan Global warming and the resulting climate change present one of the greatest potential threats humanity has had to face. Every country contributes to them and they affect every person. Correspondingly, the Framework Convention on Climate Change, negotiated at the Earth Summit and since, is potentially one of the most significant international agreements ever reached ? and its successful implementation is vital if the threat is to be averted. This book provides a guide to the Convention and explains in very clear terms what is involved: the background which makes it so necessary; the tortuous process involved in negotiating it; what it says; and most importantly, how it must be interpreted and implemented, making clear the scale of the changes involved and the dangers of evading them. Sten Nilsson is leader of the forest resources project at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis. David Pitt is a consultant to the Bellerive Foundation and Alp Action. They are the authors of Mountain World in Danger, published by Earthscan in 1991. Originally published in 1994

Foreword Avant-propos Preface Acknowledgments Abbreviations 1. Introduction 2. The Convention's Evolution and Elements 3. Reading the Convention 4. Why the Convention Is Important 5. Suggestions for the Convention and Protocols 6. Shifting Alliances and Blocs 7. Objections to the Convention 8. National Actions 9. Economic Dimensions 10. Policy Options 11. Implementation 12. Conclusions: Future Steps Further Readings and Sources References Annex