The Baker's Dozen: Key Nations Can and Should Act Together to Prevent Further Dangerous Climate Change

Abstract

Most international responses to climate change assume we need a 'global' solution. Game theory and political science both support limiting the negotiating parties to enable a more rapid and aggressive response. Given that 90 percent of emissions come from 12 percent of nations, we argue if a 'Baker's Dozen' of nations bands together, they can make great strides in combating climate change. With aggressive measures, their action would be sufficient to greatly reduce the likelihood of additional dangerous climate change, defined as widespread and irreversible change. We give three reasons why these nations should act: ability to act; responsibility to act; self-interest in acting.