Climate Change and Knowledge Communities

The paper argues that climate change is a global public bad requiring coordinated public-sector intervention. It posits that 'knowledge communities'—groups of experts who produce and share scientific information—are essential for driving the paradigm shifts and technological adoption needed for mitigation. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is highlighted as a primary catalyst for this global learning process. The authors also analyze economic instruments for emission reduction, such as the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), taxes, and standards, while noting the difficulties of international cooperation under frameworks like the Kyoto Protocol.

• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has served as a critical 'knowledge community' and catalyst, enabling the global spread of learning and the mainstreaming of climate science for policy makers.
• From an economic perspective, the Earth's climate is a global public good, while climate change is a 'public bad' characterized by non-rivalry and non-exclusion, meaning market forces alone cannot achieve an efficient allocation and public-sector regulation is necessary.
• The success of technological solutions to climate change, such as electric cars or carbon capture and sequestration, depends on the existence of 'sophisticated consumers' who possess the knowledge to demand and pay for these complex products.
• The European Emissions Trading System (ETS) covers approximately 45% of total EU CO2 emissions, focusing on around 9,000 facilities in sectors including energy, steel, cement, glass, ceramics, and paper.
• Economic instruments for mitigation—including taxes, cap-and-trade systems (like the ETS), and emission standards—each have different trade-offs regarding price volatility, investment incentives, and revenue generation.
• The Kyoto Protocol established a binding legal framework for industrialised 'Annex I' countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2% relative to 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012, with the EU targeted at an 8% reduction.

APA

Gallastegui, M., & Galarraga, I. (2009). Climate Change and Knowledge Communities. Basque Centre for Climate Change. https://www.bc3research.org/h6T8Uy8Nm4gFs0O/2009111801140124996306.pdf

Chicago

Gallastegui, M.C., and Ibon Galarraga. Climate Change and Knowledge Communities. Basque Centre for Climate Change, 2009. https://www.bc3research.org/h6T8Uy8Nm4gFs0O/2009111801140124996306.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Gallastegui |first1=M.C. |last2=Galarraga |first2=Ibon |title=Climate Change and Knowledge Communities |publisher=Basque Centre for Climate Change |date=September 2009 |url=https://www.bc3research.org/h6T8Uy8Nm4gFs0O/2009111801140124996306.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{gallastegui2009climate, author = {Gallastegui, M.C. and Galarraga, Ibon}, title = {{Climate Change and Knowledge Communities}}, institution = {Basque Centre for Climate Change}, year = {2009}, month = sep, url = {https://www.bc3research.org/h6T8Uy8Nm4gFs0O/2009111801140124996306.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }