The politics of climate change Science

The article by Nathaniel Rich details how such efforts began in the 1980s in response to a sharpening of the scientific and political consensus about the seriousness of climate change. Your task is to prepare an essay that addresses the following questions: (1) At what point in history could it be said that the scientific consensus about climate change was strong enough to justify serious political action to begin reducing greenhouse gas emissions? Be specific and explain your answer (based on the article). (ii) What were the key factors that delayed political action in the 1980s/early 1990s on this issue? Are similar factors still at work today? (iii) Do you agree with the sentiment, expressed in the Epilogue of the article, that serious political action on the issue was simply unrealistic at the time, regardless of what the science indicated? Explain your answer.      

Sample Solution