Climate change decision-making: science, policy and economics

The threat of global climate change poses an unprecedented challenge to humanity. Although climate change is potentially important, it is crucial to recognise also that (especially for the developing countries) there are a number of other priorities that affect human welfare more immediately - such as hunger and malnutrition, poverty, health, and pressing local environmental issues. In this context, predictions about climate change, its impacts, and the costs of mitigation are important for the policy-making dimension, because climate change issues reside within broader questions about sustainable development. One major objective of human development is sustainability, and the pursuit of greater precision in climate prediction can help with progress toward this goal.