U.S. Climate Policy and Technology

Dr. Peter Schniering

doi:10.5771/9783845205984

Summary

Wie lässt sich der starke Technologiefokus der U.S.-amerikanischen Klimapolitik erklären? Was ermöglichte der Regierung George W. Bush, bis ins Jahr 2007 verbindliche Klimaziele immer wieder abzulehnen und dies mit der "Vision" einer langfristigen technologischen Lösung zu rechtfertigen? Die vorliegende Untersuchung zeigt, wie stark die Klimapolitik und -rhetorik der Regierung mit besonderen amerikanischen Vorstellungen von Umwelt und Technologie verbunden ist und geht insbesondere auf die Entwicklungen nach Hurrikan "Katrina" und der Veröffentlichung von Al Gores An Inconvenient Truth ein. Peter Schniering arbeitet seit 2002 zu Fragen der internationalen Klima- und Energiepolitik, u. a. als Lehrbeauftragter der Universität Bonn und als Berater der Vereinten Nationen (UNFCCC) sowie der Internationalen Energieagentur (IEA).

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Bibliographic data

Copyright year: 2008
ISBN-Print: 978-3-8329-3148-3
ISBN-Online: 978-3-8452-0598-4
Publisher: Nomos, Baden-Baden
Series: Nomos Universitätsschriften - Politik
Volume: 149
Language: English
Pages: 234
Product type: Book Titles

Titelei/Inhaltsverzeichnis No access Pages 2 - 10
Accronyms and Abbreviations No access Pages 11 - 12
Introduction No access Pages 13 - 22
1. 1. The Scientific Basis of Climate Change: Current Knowledge and Key Uncertainties No access Pages 23 - 32
  2. Human Energy Use and the Potential of Technology No access Pages 32 - 37
2. The Relevance of U.S. Strategy No access Pages 37 - 44
3. U.S. Activities in an International Framework No access Pages 44 - 48
4. The Kyoto Protocol: Concept and Criticism No access Pages 48 - 56
1. The Administration’s 2001 Withdrawal: Circumstances and Reactions No access Pages 57 - 64
2. 1. An Alternative Instrument to the Kyoto Protocol: The U.S. Global Climate Change Initiative No access Pages 64 - 72
  2. Additional Climate Policy Measures No access Pages 72 - 75
3. 1. The Long-Term Character of the Challenge and the Risk of Premature Action No access Pages 75 - 77
  2. Technology as the Solution No access Pages 77 - 80
  3. The Importance of Economic Growth No access Pages 80 - 82
1. A ‘Belief in Technology’? Conceptions of Technology and Their Impact on ‘Culture’ No access Pages 83 - 90
2. Early American Use of Technology and European Settlement No access Pages 90 - 95
3. Cultural Conceptions of Technology and the Environment No access Pages 95 - 102
4. The ‘Progress of the Age’ and Its Counter-Narratives: Industrialization and Technology in the Nineteenth Century No access Pages 102 - 112
5. Environmentalism and Settlements in Outer Space: Technology in the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries No access Pages 112 - 122
1. 1. Interpretive Authority over Climate and Energy Issues No access Pages 123 - 128
  2. The Administration’s Concepts of Technology and American Ingenuity No access Pages 128 - 137
  3. Second Creation Narratives in the Administration’s Rhetoric No access Pages 137 - 143
  4. The Bush Administration’s ‘Climate Amendment’ to the Second Creation Narrative No access Pages 143 - 146
2. 1. The Role of Abundant Resources and Affordable Energy No access Pages 146 - 152
  2. Historical Reasons for U.S.-American Levels of Energy Consumption No access Pages 152 - 154
  3. ‘Behaviorist’ Approaches in Climate Policy and U.S. Repudiations No access Pages 154 - 161
  4. Technological Solutions as ‘Perfect Fit’ from the Viewpoint of Cultural History No access Pages 161 - 163
1. 1. The Burden of Insufficient Credibility No access Pages 164 - 173
  2. Strengths and Weaknesses of the Administration’s Strategy No access Pages 173 - 181
2. “The Apocalypse is Upon Us!” The 2005 Hurricane Season and Record Oil Prices No access Pages 181 - 189
3. 1. Beyond the Federal Administration: Climate Policy in Congress, at the State Level, and ‘Grass Roots’ Activities No access Pages 189 - 197
  2. Suggestions for U.S. (and European) Climate Policy: Immediate Policy Steps and Future Agreements No access Pages 197 - 202
  3. ‘American Opportunities’ No access Pages 202 - 206
Outlook No access Pages 207 - 220
Works Cited No access Pages 221 - 234