2nd Edition
Routledge Handbook of Climate Change and Society
Routledge Handbook of Climate Change and Society is a comprehensive guide that provides insights into the multifaceted relationship between climate change and society and covers a wide array of topics, disciplines, and cultures, from the latest trends in weather patterns to the issue of climate (in)justice. The second edition, which is overwhelmingly comprised of all-new essays, is an indispensable resource for those interested in understanding the complexities of climate change and its societal implications.
The book contains seven thematically organized sections examining the various aspects of climate change and its intersection with our society: Climate Change in the Natural and Social Sciences; Human Population, Movement, and Health; Economics, Energy, and Consumption; Urban Climate Resiliency; Technological Innovations and Pitfalls; Gender, Poverty, and Justice; and Politics and Governance. Each part provides a unique and important perspective for understanding the challenges as well as opportunities presented by climate change.
Through original research findings and critical analysis, this book sheds light on the urgent need for interdisciplinary approaches to tackle climate change effectively. By examining the intersectionality of climate change with various social, economic, and political factors, it offers valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, activists, and anyone concerned about the future of our planet. With a forward-looking perspective that emphasizes optimism and resilience, this book serves as a tool for fostering hope and collective action in the face of climate change challenges.
Introduction and Overview
Steven R. Brechin and Seungyun Lee
Part I: Climate Change in the Natural and Social Sciences
1. History of Climate Science and Its Politics
Spencer Weart
2. Climate Change: From Science to Solutions
Donald J. Wuebbles
3. Climate Change and Air Quality: Role of Atmospheric Aerosols and Challenges to Society
Joseph Ching
4. Advances in Research on Anthropogenic Drivers of Climate Change
Andrew Jorgenson, Hassan El Tinay, Jared Fitzgerald, Jennifer Givens, Taekyeoung Goh, Xiaorui Huang, Orla Kelly, Annika Rieger, and Ryan Thombs
5. The Need for Coupled Models of Human-Natural Systems to Study Climate Adaptation and Mitigation
Sathya Gopalakrishnan, Khyati Malik, and Kunxin Zhu
Part II: Human Population, Movement, and Health
6. Population and Climate Change: Global Overview
Joel E. Cohen
7. Human Impacts on the Climate Prior to the Industrial Revolution
Alexander Koch, Simon Lewis, Chris Brierley, and Mark Maslin
8. Climate Change, Adaptation, and Migration
Roman Hoffmann
9. Climate Change, Mental Health, and Eco-Anxiety
Caroline Hickman
10. Children’s Health and Well-being in a Changing Climate
Brian C. Thiede
Part III: Economics, Energy, and Consumption
11. Climate Change Economics: A Humbling Retrospective
Richard B. Norgaard
12. Anthropocentrism and Climate Change: Radical Reorientation Away From Greenwashing and Toward Degrowth in Business Education
Helen Kopnina, Ryan Wong, Kate Black, and Miloš Đurović
13. Super Polluters
Don Grant, Wesley Longhofer, and Andrew Jorgenson
14. High-Carbon Lifestyles
Magnus Boström
15. Household Decision-Making in the Climate Crisis
Holly Caggiano and Sara Constantino
Part IV: Urban Climate Resiliency
16. Deep Residential Building Efficiency as a Climate and Resilience Strategy
Emily Grubert
17. Babcock Ranch—Shelter From the Storm
David A. Cifrino and Luis J. Perez
18. Overcoming Barriers for “Strong” Sustainable Consumption Policy: The Case of the Amsterdam Doughnut
Irene Maldini
Part V: Technological Innovations and Pitfalls
19. Technology and Climate Change: Social Barriers to Progress in the US
Allan Mazur
20. Climate Engineering: Worth the Risks?
Amanda Sie
21. The Climate Change Crisis and the Limits of Technological Solutions
Amanda Sikirica and Richard York
Part VI: Gender, Poverty, and Justice
22. The Importance of Addressing Masculinity and Climate Change: Toward a Masculinist Denial Framework
Angeline Letourneau and Debra Davidson
23. The Role of Women in Environmental Activism: Considerations on North-South Relations in the Context of Climate Change
Lígia Amoroso Galbiati and Leila da Costa Ferreira
24. Climate Change and Poverty
Robin Leichenko and Julie A. Silva
25. Exploring Indigenous Climate Justice in Aotearoa New Zealand’s Climate Adaptation Planning
Meg Parsons and Roa Crease
Part VII: Politics and Governance
26. How Important Are International Climate Negotiations?
Raymond Clémençon
27. Challenges of Climate Security Research and Practice in the Context of the Anthropocene
Judith Nora Hardt
28. Climate Change and Public Relations Firms
Melissa Aronczyk and Maria I. Espinoza
29. Green Amendments for The Generations—Making Environmental Rights an Enforceable Reality
Maya K. van Rossum
30. Mitigating Climate Change Through Societal Corporatism: The Historical Record in Costa Rica
Thomas K. Rudel and Julia A. Flagg
31. Future Governance Under Climate Change: Authoritarianism or Democracy?
Steven R. Brechin and Seungyun Lee
Commentaries on “Future Governance Under Climate Change: Authoritarianism or Democracy?”
Dana R. Fisher and Fernando Tormos-Aponte
Closing Words
Solarpunk: Radical Optimism as Praxis
W. Kees Schuller
Biography
Steven R. Brechin is Professor of Sociology and Research Affiliate at Rutgers Climate and Energy Institute at Rutgers University, USA. His research explores the sociology of climate change, including collective and cross-national action against climate change, geoengineering controversies, climate finance, and sustainable lifestyles. He is the author of Planting Trees in the Developing Word: A Sociology of International Organizations (1997) and co-editor of Resident Peoples and National Parks: Social Dilemmas and Strategies in International Conservation (1991), Population-Environment Dynamics: Ideas & Observations (1993), and Contested Nature: Promoting International Biodiversity with Social Justice in the Twenty-First Century (2003).
Seungyun Lee is a PhD student in Sociology at Rutgers University, USA. Her main areas of research are climate change emotions and sustainable lifestyles. Her master’s thesis examines how national climate policy affects individual experiences of climate anxiety. Another current project of hers investigates how and why people embrace a slow, sustainable lifestyle in a small community in Northern Michigan, and the role of privilege, networks, and geography in creating this community.
“The vast literature on climate change and society is rich with important insights for both understanding and action. Brechin and Lee’s excellent Handbook provides a clear and comprehensive overview of the state of the science. It is a critical resource for both researchers and policymakers.”
Thomas Dietz, University Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Environmental Science and Policy, Michigan State University, USA
“Climate change is, and will remain for at least a decade, the most pressing challenge facing our societies. This completely revised second edition offers profound insights and understanding from a wide variety of perspectives, disciplines, and geographies. It is essential reading for students, scholars, and professionals.”
Arthur P. J. Mol, Professor of Environmental Governance, Wageningen University & Research, Netherlands
“The timely second edition stands out for its compelling calls for holistic approaches to addressing the climate crisis. Contributions from distinguished scholars explore both enduring and emerging issues, including eco-anxiety and the fragile state of democracy. With equity and justice at its core, it is a valuable resource for understanding and addressing the social dimensions of climate change.”
Karen O’Brien, Professor of Sociology and Human Geography, University of Oslo, Norway
“This Handbook is an essential, interdisciplinary volume exploring the relationship between climate change and human society. It identifies critical issues and discusses pathways to address them, offering hope and actionable insights. An invaluable resource for scholars, policymakers, and anyone committed to solving the societal dimensions of the climate crisis.”
Sun-Jin Yun, Professor of Environmental Studies and Dean of Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Seoul National University, South Korea
