Pindyck (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) describes in detail the impact of changing carbon dioxide levels on Earth's temperature and why greenhouse gases have this effect on the environment. The premise of his argument is to examine what policies at the national and international levels could avert the temperature increase and what potential strategies exist for adapting to the changing climate. Pindyck clearly shows that no single policy or strategy will change the climate trajectory and that a comprehensive approach across all sectors of the economy that includes reducing emissions and energy demand, adopting conservation practices that reduce energy demand, and utilizing different forms of energy is required.
Robert S. Pindyck is the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Professor of Economics and Finance in the Sloan School of Management at MIT. He is also a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, and he has been a Visiting Professor at Tel-Aviv University, Harvard University, and Columbia University. He is a Fellow of the Econometric Society, a past President and Fellow of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, and a winner of the Jamieson Prize for Excellence in Teaching.
Professor Pindyck's research and writing have covered topics in microeconomics and industrial organization, the behavior of natural resource and commodity markets, financial markets, capital investment decisions, and environmental economics. His recent work in environmental economics has focused on climate change, and examined policy design in the face of uncertainty. He has also worked on the economic and policy implications of global catastrophic events, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
Professor Pindyck has published numerous academic journal articles, and he is also the author or co-author of seven books, including three popular textbooks: Econometric Models and Economic Forecasts, Microeconomics, and Investment Under Uncertainty.