Preparing for the Next, Very Long Crisis: Towards a ‘Cool’ Science and Technology Policy Agenda For a Globally Warming Economy
Paul A. David
#2009-031
This short paper on a very big subject deals with a worry - a worry that
the present economic crisis is likely to contribute to the
already-existing temptations of governmental and private actors alike to
behave in a time-inconsistent fashion when responding to the challenge
of climate change. The specific concern here is that science and
technology research commitments be launched soon enough on the scale
that is likely to be needed, and that timely steps be taken toward the
supportive adaptations in long-standing institutional and regulatory
readjustments that can render those investments in knowledge more
effective. Institutional changes, new incentive mechanisms and a
rethinking of national policies with regard to exploitation of the
international regime of intellectual property protections - are needed
to successfully address the looming crisis of global climate change.
Keywords: GHG emissions, CO2 pricing, Strategic Energy Technologies, EU
SET Plan, green technologies, R&D, IRP, global technology transfers.
JEL classification: O13, O31, O32, O33, Q54, Q55
UNU-MERIT Working Papers
ISSN 1871-9872