Policy Means for Sustainable Energy Scenarios

Consequences of global warming are appearing much faster than assumed just a few years ago and irreversible ”tipping points” are few years ahead (IPCC, 2007; Hansen et al., 2008; Kopp et al., 2009). Despite long and tedious preparations for COP15 in December 2009 the final result (Copenhagen Accord, 2009) lacked sufficient concrete commitments for reduction of greenhouse gases (GHGs) after 2012 when the Kyoto Protocol expires.

Human activities in their present form are strongly dependent on the supply of energy. A dominant part of the global energy supply is based on fossil fuels and a dominant part of the climate change is due to emission of CO2 from the use of fossil fuels. For simplicity, this paper focuses on CO2 emission from fossil fuels, but CO2 from deforestation as well as methane (CH4), laughing gas (N2O) and a number of industrial greenhouse gases should be included in a more comprehensive analysis.

The paper will focus mainly on non-technological strategies for mitigation of climate change addressing such questions as national and international equity, limits to growth, population policies, and alternative employment policies.