How much would it cost to meet the carbon abatement pledges made in the December 2009 Copenhagen Accord? Cline (Peterson Institute for International Economics) examines the prospective expenses, both internationally and in the twenty-five largest economies. The cost of achieving the "Copenhagen Convergence" is substantial, but surprisingly lower than expected. Using the regional integrated model of climate and the economy (RICE model), for example, abatement costs amount to 1.2 percent of the world economy by 2050. When international emissions trading and an accelerated time table are employed the amounts get even lower, along with prospective adaptation costs. Overall, this is a detailed examination of the costs of carbon offsetting and mitigation. The book contains forty pages of appendixes covering sources of data, and alternative measurement standards and policies. Annotation 2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
