'Research on climate change' Stopping climate change has turned out to be an immense challenge. Although denial of the problem seems to weaken somewhat, a serious hurdle to a solution is that many scientists and politicians are insufficiently focused on ultimate effectiveness of policies. We quantify the magnitude of the decarbonization challenge and discuss general solution strategies and policy instruments. We then look into the carbon emissions involved in a renewable energy transition, assess the effects of recessions on carbon emissions and discuss the trade-offs between economic growth and reducing carbon emissions. We zoom in on carbon pricing, listing classic and heterodox arguments in favor of it, dealing with effectiveness, efficiency, equity, national and international feasibility, and systemic effects. Complementary instruments and the reasons for their use are mentioned as well. On the basis of this, implications for the policy trajectory after the Paris international climate agreement are formulated.

1. Research on climate change
Giorgos Kallisg
ICREA Colloquium
4 December 2018

4. Mitigation/Ecological EconomicsMitigation/Ecological Economics
ow does the scale of the economic (energy) systemow does the scale of the economic (energy) system
affect emissions and transition pathways?

5. 1. Recessions and avoided carbon
i iemissions
(with Dan O’Neill, Qinglong Shao and Luis Diaz Serrano)

6. umulative global emissions would be 15‐20% higher
without recessions

7. Half of avoided emissions due to recessions in three
countries

8. ollapse of Soviet Union had the largest relative effectollapse of Soviet Union had the largest relative effect

9. 2. Carbon expenditure for a clean
t itienergy transition
(with Aljoša Slameršak)

10. Energy is spent in producing energyEnergy is spent in producing energy

11. Core findingsCore findings
A significant share of remaining carbon budget will have to be devoted to fueling an
energy transition.
Emissions will increase (or energy use in non‐energy sector will have to decrease) in
t iti l i dtransitional period.
The lower energy use is, the less carbon will be emitted in the transition

12. Adaptation/Political EcologyAdaptation/Political Ecology
How do state policies reduce or exacerbateHow do state policies reduce or exacerbate
vulnerabilities?

13. CO FP7 Project (Hydro climatic change conflict and security)CO FP7 Project (Hydro‐climatic change, conflict and security)

14. 3. Biopolitics and vulnerability of
l k t li t hseasonal workers to climate change
(with Ethemcan Turhan and Christos Zografos)

15. to October, migration of some 100,000
and Arab seasonal workers from Eastern
l work, 10 hr working days, 1.5
our, living in tent squats.
rokes, water‐born diseases.
•2.5‐3.5 C temperature increase, 35% less rainfall
•Droughts, health and double vulnerability.
•MOEU and UNDP Climate Adaptation program
•Plan for improving work conditions of seasonal
migrants.

16. icies geared to maintain circulation of cheap labour, not protect seasonal
rkers.
T ttl t l li f i k t lTemporary settlement only, police forcing workers to leave;
No right to organizing – intermediaries formalized;
No social security, no access to public health.
veillance of Kurds expanded in the name of adaptation.

17. 4. The politics of mal‐adaptation p p
( ith Gi D’Ali )(with Giacomo D’Alisa)

18. 160 deaths from mudslide.
oils combined with unusual Spring rainoils combined with unusual Spring rain.
ned settlement in vulnerable zone.
Euros adaptation plan consisting mainly
unnel and reservoirs to divert mud.
Mal‐adaptation
• Other towns left unprotected.
• No early warning system, no maintenance of
tunnel.
• Vulnerable zone resettled, while 1000 flats in
town centre remain vacant.

19. saster capitalism’ but with the people not against or at the expense of thesaster capitalism ‐ but with the people, not against or at the expense of the
ople.
erests of ruling political and economic class coalesced with ‘common sense’ oferests of ruling political and economic class coalesced with common sense of
people (Gramsci’s theory of hegemony).
suit of a particular model of growth goes against soft adaptation.suit of a particular model of growth goes against soft adaptation.

20. AfterthoughtsAfterthoughts
Conflict between economic growth as usual and climate
mitigation and adaptation.
There are ‘simple’ social interventions that can make a big
difference both in mitigation and adaptation but theirdifference both in mitigation and adaptation, but their
adoption would require big political, institutional and cultural
change. g