Publications
Books
A. E. Dessler and E. A. Parson, 2010. The Science and Politics of Climate Change: a Guide to the Debate, 2nd edition. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
The second edition of Dessler and Parson's acclaimed book provides an integrated treatment of the science, technology, economics, policy, and politics of climate change.
Aimed at the educated non-specialist, and at courses in environmental policy or climate change, the book clearly lays out the scientific foundations of climate change, the issues in current policy debates, and the interactions between science and politics that make the climate change debate so contentious and confusing.
This new edition is brought completely up to date to reflect the rapid movement of events related to climate change. In addition, all sections have been improved, in particular a more thorough primer on the basic science of climate change is included. The book also now integrates the discussion of contrarian claims with the discussion of current scientific knowledge; extends the discussion of cost and benefit estimates; and provides an improved glossary.
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E. A. Parson, V. Burkett, K. Fisher-Vanden, D. Keith, L. Mearns, H. Pitcher, C. Rosenzweig, M. Webster, Global-Change Scenarios: Their Development and Use. Synthesis and Assessment Product 2.1b, US Climate Change Science Program, 2007.
Full report (PDF files)
E.A. Parson, Protecting the Ozone Layer: Science and Strategy. 2003. New York: Oxford University Press. (Winner, Harold and Margaret Sprout Award, International Studies Association, 2004.)
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E.A. Parson, editor, Governing the Environment: Persistent Challenges, Uncertain Innovations, Toronto: University of Toronto Press. 2001. (Also published as Gérer l’environnement, les Presses de l’Université de Montréal, 2001).
Order from University of Toronto Press
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National Assessment Synthesis Team (collective author), Climate Change Impacts on the United States: (two volumes: "Foundation" and "Overview"). US Global Change Research Program. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2001.
Order Foundation from Cambridge University Press
Order Overview from Cambridge University Press
Order Foundation from Amazon.com
Order Overview from Amazon.com
Social Learning Group (collective author), Learning to Manage Global Environmental Risks: a Comparative History of Social Responses to Climate Change, Ozone Depletion, and Acid Rain, Vol. 1. (W.C.Clark et al, eds.), Cambridge: MIT Press. 2001.
Order Volume 1 from MIT Press
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Social Learning Group (collective author), Learning to Manage Global Environmental Risks: a Comparative History of Social Responses to Climate Change, Ozone Depletion, and Acid Rain, Vol. 2. (W.C.Clark et al, eds.), Cambridge: MIT Press. 2001.
Order Volume 2 from MIT Press
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Journal and Law Review Articles
E.A. Parson and D. Karwat, "Sequential climate change policy" Wiley Interdisciplinary Review: Climate Change (Jun 28, 2011, online edition). Wiley | Local PDF
D. W. Keith, E. A. Parson, and M. Granger Morgan, "Research on global sun block needed now" Nature 463, 426-427 (January 28, 2010). Local PDF
E. A. Parson, "Useful Global Change Scenarios: current issues and challenges", Environmental Research Letters 3:4, 045016 (Oct – Dec 2008) ERL | Local PDF
E. A. Parson, "The Big One: Review Essay on Richard Posner's Catastrophe: Risk and Response", Journal of Economic Literature 45, pp. 147-164 (March, 2007). JEL | Local PDF
E.A. Parson, "Reflections on air capture: the political economy of active intervention in the global environment", Climatic Change 74:1-3, pp. 1-11 (January, 2006). Climatic Change | Local PDF
R. Watson, J. Patz, D. Gubler, E.A. Parson, J.H. Vincent, "Environmental health implications of global climate change", Journal of Environmental Monitoring 7:834-843 (Dec 2005) JEM
C. Coglianese, R. Zeckhauser, E. A. Parson, "Seeking Truth for Power: Informational Strategy and Regulatory Policy-Making", Minnesota Law Review 89:2 (December 2004). Law Review (via Hein Online, restricted) | Local PDF
P.W. Mote, E.A. Parson, et al (ten other authors), "Climate and the water, forests, and salmon of the Pacific Northwest," Climatic Change 61:1-2 (November, 2003), p. 45-88. Climatic Change
E.A. Parson, R.W. Corell, et al (ten other authors), "Understanding climate impacts, vulnerabilities, and adaptation in the United States: Building a capacity for assessment," Climatic Change 57:1 (March, 2003), p. 9-42. Climatic Change
E.A. Parson, "The Technology Assessment Approach to Climate Change," Issues in Science and Technology, 18:4 (Summer 2002), p. 65-72. Issues in S&T | Subsequent discussion forum, Fall 2002 | Local PDF
R.B. Mitchell and E.A. Parson, "Implementing the Climate Regime's Clean Development Mechanism". Journal of Environment and Development 10:2 (June, 2001). JED (subscription required)
E.A. Parson, "Environmental trends and environmental governance in Canada", Canadian Public Policy 26:Supp 2 (August 2000), S123-S143. Local PDF
E.A. Parson and K. Fisher-Vanden, "Joint Implementation of Greenhouse Gas Abatement Under the Kyoto Protocol's "Clean Development Mechanism": Its Scope and Limits". Policy Sciences 32:3 (September, 1999), 207-224. Policy Sciences
E.A. Parson and D.W. Keith, "Fossil Fuels without CO2 Emissions". Science 282 (5391), 1053-1054 (6 November, 1998) Science | Local PDF (with editorial error corrected)
E.A. Parson, "Informing global environmental policy-making: a plea for new methods of assessment and synthesis". Environmental Modeling and Assessment 2:4, 267-279. 1997. EMA
E.A. Parson and K. Fisher-Vanden, "Integrated Assessment Models of Global Climate Change", Annual Review of Energy and the Environment 22, 589-628. 1997. Annual Review
E.A. Parson, "International Environmental Negotiations: the current state of empirical and analytical study", Negotiation Journal, 13:2, 161-183. April 1997. Local PDF
E.A. Parson, "Three Dilemmas in the Integrated Assessment of Climate Change", Climatic Change 34:3-4 (December), 315-326. 1996. Climatic Change
E.A. Parson, "Integrated Assessment and Environmental Policy-Making: in Pursuit of Usefulness", Energy Policy, 23:4/5, April/May 1995, pp. 463-475. Energy Policy | Local PDF
E.A. Parson, "Assessing UNCED and the State of Sustainable Development", Proceedings of the American Society of International Law, 508-513. 1993. Local PDF
Book Chapters
E.A. Parson, "Ontario Electricity Policy: the climate challenge", Ch 2 in Current Affairs: Perspectives on Electricity Policy for Ontario, D. Reeve, D. DeWees, and B. Karney, eds., University of Toronto Press. 2010. Order book from University of Toronto Press.
E.A. Parson, "Grounds for hope: the assessment of technological options to manage ozone depletion," in A. Farrell and J. Jäger, eds., Assessments of Regional and Global Environmental Risks: Designing Processes for the Effective Use of Science in Decision-Making. Washington, DC: Resources for the Future Press, 2005. Order book from Amazon.com | Local PDF
E.A. Parson, R.J. Zeckhauser, and C. Coglianese, "Collective Silence and Individual Voice: the Logic of Information Games," pp. 49-70 in J. Heckelman and D. Coates, eds., Collective Choice: Essays in Honor of Mancur Olson. Springer-Verlag. 2003. Order book from Amazon.com | Local PDF
E.A. Parson, "Environmental Trends: a Challenge to Canadian Governance", Chapter 1, pp. 3-29, in E.A.Parson, ed., Governing the Environment: Persistent Challenges, Uncertain Innovations, Toronto: University of Toronto Press. 2001.
E.A. Parson, "Persistent Challenges, Uncertain Innovations: a Synthesis", Chapter 9, pp. 345-380, in E.A. Parson, ed., Governing the Environment: Persistent Challenges, Uncertain Innovations,Toronto: University of Toronto Press. 2001.
E.A. Parson with A.R. Dobell, A. Fenech, D. Munton, and H. Smith, "Leading While Keeping in Step: Canadian Management of Global Atmospheric Risks", Chapter 10, pp. 235-257, in Learning to Manage Global Environmental Risks: a Comparative History of Social Responses to Climate Change, Ozone Depletion, and Acid Rain, Social Learning Group (W.C.Clark et al, eds.), Cambridge: MIT Press. 2001. (also secondary author on four other chapters in volume)
E.A. Parson and M.G. Morgan, with A. Janetos, L. Joyce, B. Miller, R. Richels, and T. Wilbanks, "Socioeconomic Context for Climate Impact Assessment", Chapter 3, pp. 93-107, in Climate Change Impacts on the United States. A report of the National Assessment Synthesis Team, US Global Change Research Program. New York: Cambridge University Press. 2001. PDF on USGCRP website
E.A. Parson, with P.W. Mote, A. Hamlet, N. Mantua, A. Snover, W. Keeton, E. Miles, D. Canning, K.G. Ideker, "Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change for the Pacific Northwest", Chapter 9, pp. 247-280, in Climate Change Impacts on the United States. US Global Change Research Program. New York: Cambridge University Press. 2001. PDF on USGCRP website
E.A. Parson, with L. Carter, P. Anderson, B. Wang, and G. Weller, "Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change for Alaska", Chapter 10, pp. 283-312, in Climate Change Impacts on the United States. US Global Change Research Program. New York: Cambridge University Press. 2001. PDF on USGCRP website
E.A. Parson, "The Montreal Protocol: The First Adaptive Global Environmental Regime?", in Protecting the Ozone Layer: Lessons, Models, and Prospects, eds. P.G, LePrestre, J.D. Reid, E.T. Morehouse, Jr. Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers. 1998. Order book from Amazon.com | Local PDF
E.A. Parson and H. Ward, "Games and Simulations". in Human Choice and Climate Change, eds. S. Rayner, E. Malone. Columbus, Ohio: Battelle Press. 1998. Order book from Amazon.com | Local PDF
E.A. Parson, "International Protection of the Ozone Layer", in H.O. Bergeson and G. Parmann, eds., Green Globe Yearbook: 1996. Fridtjof Nansen Institute. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996. Order book from Amazon.com
E.A. Parson, "What Can You Learn From a Game?", in R. Zeckhauser, R. Keeney, and J. Sebenius, eds., Wise Choices: Games, Decisions, and Negotiations. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. 1996. Order book from Amazon.com | Local PDF
E.A. Parson and W.C. Clark, "Sustainable Development as Social Learning: Theoretical perspectives and practical challenges for the design of a research program", pp. 428-460 in L. Gunderson, C.S. Holling, and S. Light, eds., Barriers and Bridges to the Renewal of Ecosystems and Institutions, New York: Columbia University Press, 1995. Order book from Amazon.com | Local PDF
E.A. Parson and R. Zeckhauser, "Cooperation in the Unbalanced Commons", pp. 212-234 in K. Arrow, R. Mnookin, L. Ross, A. Tversky and R. Wilson, eds., Barriers to the Conflict Resolution, New York: Norton, 1995 Order book from Amazon.com | Local PDF
E.A. Parson and R. Zeckhauser, "Equal Measures or Fair Burdens: Negotiating Environmental Treaties in an Unequal World", pp. 81-114 in H.Lee, ed., Shaping National Responses to Climate Change, Washington, DC: Island Press, 1995. Order book from Amazon.com
E.A. Parson, "Von dem Peripherie ins Zentrum der Aussen politik? Die internationale Umweltpolitik," in M.Dembinski, P.Rudolf, and J.Wilzewski, eds., Amerikanische Weltpolitik nach dem Ost-West-Konflikt, Baden-baden: Nomos Verlag, 1994
E.A. Parson, "Protecting the Ozone Layer" in P.M. Haas, R.O. Keohane, and M.A. Levy, eds., Institutions for the Earth, Cambridge: MIT Press, 1993. Order book from Amazon.com
Articles in Policy and Popular Journals, Book Reviews, etc.
E.A. Parson, Review of Restoration of the Great Lakes: Promises, Practices, Performances, by M. Sproule-Jones. Canadian J. Pol. Sci. 37, no. 2 (2004): 439-41.
E.A. Parson, "Moving Beyond the Kyoto Impasse", New York Times Opinion, pg. A23, July 31, 2001.
D.W. Keith and E.A. Parson, "A Breakthrough in Climate-Change Policy?" Scientific American, February 2000, p. 78-79.
E.A. Parson and O. Greene, "International Ozone Agreements: Response to comments by Ian Rowlands." Environment 37:3, p. 3, April 1995.
E.A. Parson and O. Greene, "The Complex Chemistry of the International Ozone Agreements". Environment 37:2, p. 16 March 1995.
P. Haas, M. Levy, and E.A. Parson, "Appraising the Earth Summit", Environment 34:8, October 1992.
E.A. Parson, P. Haas, and M. Levy, "A Summary of the Major Documents signed at the Earth Summit and Global Forum", Environment 34:8, October 1992.
A.R. Dobell and E.A. Parson, "A World Atmosphere Fund", Policy Options, Nov. 1988.
Lectures, Seminars, Invited Conference Presentations (selected)
Governance and Risks of Geoengineering. EPRI Climate Change Workshop, Washington DC, May 19, 2010
Climate Change and the Ethics of Responsibility. Centre for Ethics, University of Toronto, April 27, 2010
Sustainability and the Law. Sandra Day O'Connor School of Law, ASU, April 16, 2010
Asilomar International Conference on Climate Intervention. Working Group Chair. Pacific Grove CA, March 22-26, 2010
Regulatory Bargaining and Technological Innovation. Workshop on Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, UCLA Law School, January 14, 2010
Climate Change Policies and Technological Innovation. Distinguished Lecture Series on Bioeconomy and Global Climate Change, Michigan State University, November 12 2009
Institutions for Adaptive Management in the Climate-Energy Transition. Address to National Advisory Board, Union of Concerned Scientists, San Francisco, January 31, 2009
Climate Change Briefings to the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Sponsored by AAAS, ESA, GSA, AMS, and Pew Center on global climate change, January 9, 2009
The Presidential Election: the Economy, Energy, and the Environment. Public forum sponsored by Michigan Public Radio and the Ford School of Public Policy, October 14, 2008
Effective Climate-Change Policy: Guidelines and Challenges. Deputy Ministers' dinner, Government of Ontario, October 7, 2008
The Long Haul: Navigating the Energy Transition to Limit Climate Change. International workshop organized and convened, Dunsmuir Lodge, Victoria BC, August 11 – 13, 2008
Uncertainty in Integrated-Assessment Modeling of Climate Change. Workshop sponsored by US Department of Energy, University of Chicago, July 21, 2008
The Climate-Change Challenge to Ontario Electricity Policy. Keynote address, workshop on electricity policy planning, University of Toronto, June 4, 2008
Making Global Scientific Assessments More Useful for Policy. Arthur M. Sackler Colloquium on Linking Knowledge with Action for Sustainable Development. National Academy of Sciences, Washington DC, April 3 – 4, 2008.
Carbon Taxes and Cap-and-Trade Systems: Design Issues and Political Risks. First meeting of the global policy advisory network, OECD, Paris, Mar 31 – Apr 1, 2008.
The Science and Politics of Global Climate Change. Public lecture, School of Environmental Studies, University of Waterloo, March 19, 2008.
Strategic Behavior and Technological Innovation in Environmental Regulation. School of Public Policy and Governance and Law School, University of Toronto, Mar 18, 2008.
Promoting Innovation through Environmental Regulation. External Advisory Board, Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise, February 15, 2008.
Strategic Behavior and Technological Innovation in Environmental Regulation. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota, December 17, 2007.
Climate Change and Energy Security: Synergies and Tradeoffs. Conference on International Governance Innovation, Waterloo Ontario, October 27, 2007.
Breaking the energy climate change deadlock. Workshop on Summit Reform and Climate Change, Toronto, October 25, 2007.
Breaking the deadlock on climate mitigation policy, public lecture, University of British Columbia Faculty of Law, April 3, 2007.
Rethinking Climate Change Policy. Science, Technology, and Public Policy lecture series, University of Michigan, March 26, 2007.
Useful Global Change Scenarios: current issues and key challenges. Workshop on Interrogating the Practice and Politics of Scenarios, Watson Institute of International Affairs, Brown University, Providence Rhode Island, March 23-24 2007.
Climate Change: Treatment of Uncertainty in Assessments and Decision-Making. (Panel organizer and presenter), American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting, San Francisco, February 19, 2007.
Breaking Global Deadlocks, preparatory meeting for L-14 leaders initiative, Cambridge Ontario, January 28-30, 2007.
A New Perspective on Technology-Forcing Regulation. University of Michigan Energy Institute symposium, January 18, 2007.
Strategic Behavior and Technological Innovation in Environmental Regulation. Victoria Colloquium on Legal, Political, and Social Theory, October 6, 2006.
Developing Sustainable Energy Policy: Building Paths to a Low Carbon Society, Lawrence Centre for Policy and Management, University of Western Ontario, October 22-24, 2006.
The Kyoto Deadlock and Potential Resolutions. Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment, and Economy, University of Calgary, November 10, 2005.
Scenarios in Global-Change Analysis and Decision-Making. Workshop on Critical Issues in Climate Change, Stanford Energy Modeling Forum, Snowmass CO, July 28-29, 2005.
The International Climate-Change Deadlock: An Assessment of Proposed Resolutions. Michigan Legal Theory Workshop, April 18, 2005.
American Exceptionalism in International Environmental Policy. Annual meeting, American Society of International Law, Washington DC, April 1, 2005.
Scientific Integrity in Policy-Making: The Case of Climate Change. Symposium on Scientific Integrity, Union of Concerned Scientists, Ann Arbor, March 21, 2005.
The Science and Politics of Global Climate Change. Michigan Environmental Law Association Annual Symposium, March 16, 2005.
Technological Transitions and Industrial Transformations: Assessment and Prospects. Symposium on Industrial Transformation, Free University, Amsterdam, March 10, 2005.
Technical Uncertainty and Strategic Behavior in Environment, Health, and Safety Regulation. Michigan Fawley Seminar, February 9, 2005.
Climate Change and Human Health: Assessing Impacts and Responses. Third Isadore Bernstein Symposium, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, March 26, 2004.
Can Scientific Claims Influence Policy Outcomes? Michigan Fawley Lunch, Oct 29, 2003.
Scientific Knowledge, Controversy, and Assessment in Global Change Regimes; Policy-Technology Interactions in Environmental Management (convened two sessions). Int'l meeting on Human Dimensions of Global Change, Montreal, Oct 16-18 2003.
Impacts of Global Change: Assessment Challenges and Political Challenges. Faculty research seminar, SNRE, University of Michigan, Oct 10, 2003.
Assessing Climate-Change Impacts and Adaptation Potential, Tyndall Center for Climate Change Research, Somerset House, London, June 16, 2003.
Carbon Capture and Sequestration for Greenhouse-gas Mitigation: Prospects, Promise, and Pitfalls. Union of Concerned Scientists, Cambridge MA, April 4, 2003.
Strategic Planning Workshop, US Climate Change Science Initiative, Dec 3-5, 2002.
Brainstorm 2002: the Fortune Editors' Invitational Conference, Aspen, July 29-31, 2002.
Uncertainty and Decision Making in Climate Change. Workshop on Climate Scenarios and Uncertainty, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Jul 17-19, 2002, Boulder CO.
Adaptive Management: Can it work? What would it take? Environment Canada Policy Research Lecture Series, June 22, 2001.
Governing the Environment: Key Challenges, Proposed Responses. Keynote speech, Deputy Ministers' lunch, Government of Canada, October 2000.
The Origins, Evolution, and Uses of Policy-Relevant Uncertainties: Insights from 25 Years of Ozone-Layer Debates. American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting, Washington DC, February 20, 2000.
Integrated Assessment: Social and Political Dimensions, Keynote address, International meeting on Human Dimensions of Global Change, June 12-14 1997, Vienna, Austria.
Integrated Environmental Assessment: Goals, Methods, Challenges, Keynote address, Conference on Assessing Atmospheric Change, Mar 27-28, 1995. Toronto, Canada.
Searching for Integrated Assessment: Methods and Projects in the Integrated Assessment of Climate Change, 3rd meeting, Commission on Global Environmental Change Information Policy, NASA, Washington DC, February 17, 1994.
Climate Change Negotiation, The Salzburg Seminar, June 1990 and May 1991.
Technical Reports and Working Papers
E. A. Parson, "The International Policy Environment for Carbon Capture and Sequestration," Report to National Energy Technology Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, April 2003.
R.B. Mitchell and E.A. Parson, "Implementing Joint Implementation: Developing a Management and Performance System for the Kyoto Protocol’s 'Clean Development Mechanism'". Environment and Natural Resources Program Discussion Paper E-98-06. Harvard University. June, 1998.
E.A. Parson, S. Agrawala, A. Patt, R. Keohane, R. Mitchell, L. Botcheva, W. Clark, E. DeSombre, J. McCarthy, E. Shea. "Explaining the Form of Assessments: Why do we get the assessments we do?" Environment and Natural Resources Program Discussion Paper E-97-12. Harvard University. 1997.
W.C. Clark, E.A. Parson, N. Dickson. "Global Environmental Assessment". Environment and Natural Resources Program Discussion Paper E-97-15. Harvard University. 1997.
E.A. Parson and K.Fisher-Vanden. "Joint Implementation and its Alternatives: choosing systems to distribute global emissions abatement and finance." Environment and Natural Resources Program Discussion Paper E-97-03. 1997.
E.A. Parson, "A Global Climate Change Policy Exercise: Results of a Test Run, July 27-29 1995" Working Paper WP-96-90, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Austria. August 1996.
E.A. Parson and K.Fisher-Vanden, "Thematic Guide to Integrated Assessment Models of Global Climate Change", Socio-economic Data and Analysis Center, NASA Mission to Planet Earth, 1996.
E.A. Parson, Climate Treaties and Models, Background Study, Office of Technology Assessment, US Congress, Washington DC, June 1994.
E.A. Parson, Negotiating Climate Cooperation: Learning from Theory, Simulations, and History. Doctoral dissertation in Public Policy, Harvard University, May 1992.
E.A. Parson, "The Transport Sector and Global Warming", Disc. Paper G-90-07, Harvard Global Environmental Policy Project. (appeared in abridged form as the transport sector chapter in Changing by Degrees, OTA's Feb. 1991 report on Global Climate Change)
E.A.Parson, "Midwest-Northeast Transmission: A Partial Solution to Acid Rain?" Discussion Paper E-88-05, Energy and Environment Policy Center, Harvard University.
Contact Information
Room 3456, UCLA School of Law
385 Charles E. Young Dr. East
Los Angeles, CA, 90095
Phone: 310-206-4586
E-mail: parson(at)law.ucla.edu
Assistant: Susanna Pfeffer
Phone: 310-206-6967
E-mail: pfeffer(at)law.ucla.edu