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Climate Determinism Reborn

Author

Listed:
  • Richard S.J. Tol

    (University of Sussex)

Abstract

Environmental determinism in the past followed from the belief that the godsbestowed political power and the best possible weather on the sponsors of early scholars.Although later discredited in academia because of the associations with racism and the lackof support for any monocausal explanation of history, environmental determinism in popularculture has morphed into the unfounded idea of catastrophic climate change. Although ahandful of papers in the literature on the economic impact of climate change appear tosupport this concern, closer inspection reveals severe methodological and conceptual issueswith the analyses. Climate policy will not dominate major economies, because politicians willpull back before it does, but small economies may be overwhelmed by the export of carbon credits.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard S.J. Tol, 2025. "Climate Determinism Reborn," Working Paper Series 0725, Department of Economics, University of Sussex Business School.
    • Handle: RePEc:sus:susewp:0725
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    JEL classification:

    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming

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