Natural Capitalism—Chapter 12: Climate

This report chapter argues that climate change can be mitigated profitably through a 'resource productivity revolution.' It details the science of the greenhouse effect and asserts that energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainable land-use practices are more cost-effective than continuing fossil fuel reliance or investing in nuclear power. Using examples from the U.S., Sweden, and India, it demonstrates that reducing carbon emissions can lower costs and improve living standards.

• Global warming leads to increased precipitation and more volatile weather. Each Fahrenheit degree of warming is estimated to increase global mean precipitation by approximately one percent, though effects vary by location.
• Warming oceans can trigger several feedback loops: they may release stored CO2 (as they contain about 60 times more CO2 than the atmosphere), kill coral reefs that sequester carbon, and shift currents like the Gulf Stream and Kuroshio Current.
• The document argues that protecting the climate is profitable rather than costly. It claims the U.S. could save $300 billion annually in energy bills using existing technologies that provide the same or better services at current prices.
• Climate threats can be mitigated through three primary avenues: increasing energy efficiency and substituting carbon-intensive fuels with low-carbon or no-carbon alternatives; adopting farming and forestry practices that sequester carbon in soil and trees; and replacing CFCs with substitutes as mandated by the 1988 Montreal Treaty.
• The Kyoto Protocol established a framework for trading emissions of greenhouse gases, including CO2, methane, and nitrous oxide. The U.S. target under this framework was to reduce net emissions in 2010 to 7 percent below 1990 levels.
• Empirical evidence from Dow Chemical's Louisiana division demonstrates that energy efficiency projects can yield high returns; 575 audited projects averaged a 204 percent return on investment (ROI), with later projects seeing payback periods drop to four months.
• Nuclear power is described as the slowest-growing energy source and is economically uncompetitive. The document asserts that investing in nuclear power retards climate abatement because it is the costliest way to replace fossil fuels compared to energy efficiency.

APA

RMI (n.d.). Natural Capitalism—Chapter 12: Climate. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_NCchapter12.pdf

Chicago

RMI. Natural Capitalism—Chapter 12: Climate. n.d. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_NCchapter12.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Natural Capitalism—Chapter 12: Climate |url=https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_NCchapter12.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmindnatural, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Natural Capitalism—Chapter 12: Climate}}, institution = {RMI}, url = {https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_NCchapter12.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }