How can climate change be framed so that individuals and states take action to combat the looming problem? Panelists Luis Alfonso de Alba, Steve Weisman, and Robert Collier contribute to the debate at the U.S.–Mexico Futures Forum.
Cooperation and action among the world’s nations is urgently needed to limit greenhouse gas emissions and avert the most dire consequences of climate change. However, cooperation among countries requires convincing their internal constituencies, primarily businesses and the voting population, that the near-term benefits of action far exceed the costs. At the 2011 U.S.–Mexico Futures Forum, the discussion that unfolded during the panel on climate change focused on how impasses in the climate debate can be overcome. Most agreed that the engagement of civil society would be critical in pressuring governments to aggressively tackle the problem.
