Dan Sarewitz and I have a perspective piece out in Population and Environment that provides an updated perspective on ideas that we have been writing about for several years now. The paper is titled, “Bringing Society back into the Climate Debate” and it can be found here.

Here is the abstract:

“Debate over climate change focuses narrowly on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. A common justification for such emissions reductions is that they will lead to a reduction in the future impacts of climate on society. But research from social scientists and others who study environment–society interactions clearly indicates that the dominant factors shaping the impacts of climate on society are societal. A greater appreciation for this body of research would allow for consideration of a broader base of policy options to respond to the challenges of climate change, as well as the composition of climate research portfolios more likely to contribute useful knowledge to decision makers.”

Read the whole thing. We welcome comments and reactions.