Is Contraction and Convergence politically and economically feasible?
As Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury commented, “Contraction and Convergence appears utopian only if we refuse to contemplate the alternatives honestly”. The effects of not taking action on climate change would be far more devastating than the temporary effects of Contraction and Convergence. While politicians may be initially unwilling to take the short-term measures needed to implement Contraction and Convergence, most UK politicians now realise that inaction on climate change would be far worse. It is important that voters show politicians that they would support them if they spoke out in favour of Contraction & Convergence. The same is true of economic effects – as the Stern report to the government in November 2006 made clear, climate change could end up costing the UK between 5% and 20% of GDP if no action is taken. The Munich Re insurance group also calculated in 2004 that the cost of insuring against climate change could be equal to gross global production by 2060.
