Limit global warming. Global warming above 2°C will cause dangerous and irreversible impacts that will harm our prosperity, security, health, and lives. Limiting warming to less than 2°C is not without challenges either (we are already seeing impacts today), however it is a benchmark by which scientists and world leaders believe we can lower the risks to a more manageable level.Preserve and create a healthy economy. Your policies should strive to lead a global energy transition that would preserve and create a healthy global economy. You must decide how to balance the short-term costs of climate actions with the long-term costs of damages from climate inaction. Note that financial costs are not explicitly predicted in the model as they are uncertain and controversial. You may offer your own hypotheses on the financial impacts of different decisions. While assessing the economics, also consider the potential to offset short-term costs with additional co-benefits e.g., benefits to the economy, public health, national security and other areas which could provide benefits on top of the direct benefits of mitigating global warming.Promote equity and a just transition. Consider the impacts of your policies for both high-income and low-income nations, and between the rich and poor people within nations. Consider whether your policies will disproportionately harm certain groups and how to mitigate such harms (e.g., if you favor policies that would reduce or shut down fossil fuel use, how will your policies address the resulting unemployment of people employed by the fossil fuel industry?). Also consider how opportunities for the new green economy can be shared more equitably and not leave marginalized groups behind.Protect the environment. Many environmental challenges besides climate change threaten human welfare—e.g., water shortage, air and water pollution (smog, particulates), soil loss, plastic pollution, anoxic zones (dead zones) in rivers and oceans, extinction of species, etc. Your proposals should minimize other harmful effects on the environment.Be realistic but not cynical. Imagine a scenario of what could be possible if human civilization operates at its best.What is your overall vision?This is where you explain the approach that your team took to developing a global policy framework for addressing climate changeFor example, your team may believe that technological innovation is the key to a sustainable future. Or your team may be largely focused on renewable energy with policies that support its expansion. Or you may have decided that the only way to realistically address climate change is through the expansion of nuclear energy programs.Your plan should be coherent and not the product of randomly moving slidersWhat are the top 2-3 most important policies in your strategy?This is where you’ll name and explain the most important specific policies that support the pursuit of your team’s visionGoal AssessmentHow well does your plan achieve each of the following goals:Preserve and create a healthy economyPromote equity and a just transitionProtect the environmentFor each goal, demonstrate the outcomes that your plan achieves and assess how well you meet the goalYou should be critical here – I want to hear about your successes, but I also need to know about your shortcomings. For example, if your plan increases the market price of electricity, how will that impact the economy?You must provide visuals from the simulation to demonstrate your impacts. These should be explained in relation to the policy choices you’re recommendingHow equitable and just is your plan?For each of the goals, does your plan address any inequalities, globally or within countries?Does your plan create any additional harms? If so, what can you do additionally to offset those harms?Political FeasibilityTo implement your proposal, what actions and priorities are needed over the next two years in markets, civil society, and the state?Think about what needs to happen in order for your plan to be implemented. Who are the key actors? Which actors need to take which actions?How likely – or how feasible – will it be for your plan to be implemented?This draws on your answer to the previous question. How possible is it for the actors you identified to complete the actions that are required for your plan to be enacted?Final SummaryThese are your parting words and the summation of your pitch. You should conclude with the key point or points that you think separates your plan from the competition

Question

Limit global warming. Global warming above 2°C will cause dangerous and irreversible impacts that will harm our prosperity, security, health, and lives. Limiting warming to less than 2°C is not without challenges either (we are already seeing impacts today), however it is a benchmark by which scientists and world leaders believe we can lower the risks to a more manageable level.Preserve and create a healthy economy. Your policies should strive to lead a global energy transition that would preserve and create a healthy global economy. You must decide how to balance the short-term costs of climate actions with the long-term costs of damages from climate inaction. Note that financial costs are not explicitly predicted in the model as they are uncertain and controversial. You may offer your own hypotheses on the financial impacts of different decisions. While assessing the economics, also consider the potential to offset short-term costs with additional co-benefits e.g., benefits to the economy, public health, national security and other areas which could provide benefits on top of the direct benefits of mitigating global warming.Promote equity and a just transition. Consider the impacts of your policies for both high-income and low-income nations, and between the rich and poor people within nations. Consider whether your policies will disproportionately harm certain groups and how to mitigate such harms (e.g., if you favor policies that would reduce or shut down fossil fuel use, how will your policies address the resulting unemployment of people employed by the fossil fuel industry?). Also consider how opportunities for the new green economy can be shared more equitably and not leave marginalized groups behind.Protect the environment. Many environmental challenges besides climate change threaten human welfare—e.g., water shortage, air and water pollution (smog, particulates), soil loss, plastic pollution, anoxic zones (dead zones) in rivers and oceans, extinction of species, etc. Your proposals should minimize other harmful effects on the environment.Be realistic but not cynical. Imagine a scenario of what could be possible if human civilization operates at its best.What is your overall vision?This is where you explain the approach that your team took to developing a global policy framework for addressing climate changeFor example, your team may believe that technological innovation is the key to a sustainable future. Or your team may be largely focused on renewable energy with policies that support its expansion. Or you may have decided that the only way to realistically address climate change is through the expansion of nuclear energy programs.Your plan should be coherent and not the product of randomly moving slidersWhat are the top 2-3 most important policies in your strategy?This is where you’ll name and explain the most important specific policies that support the pursuit of your team’s visionGoal AssessmentHow well does your plan achieve each of the following goals:Preserve and create a healthy economyPromote equity and a just transitionProtect the environmentFor each goal, demonstrate the outcomes that your plan achieves and assess how well you meet the goalYou should be critical here – I want to hear about your successes, but I also need to know about your shortcomings. For example, if your plan increases the market price of electricity, how will that impact the economy?You must provide visuals from the simulation to demonstrate your impacts. These should be explained in relation to the policy choices you’re recommendingHow equitable and just is your plan?For each of the goals, does your plan address any inequalities, globally or within countries?Does your plan create any additional harms? If so, what can you do additionally to offset those harms?Political FeasibilityTo implement your proposal, what actions and priorities are needed over the next two years in markets, civil society, and the state?Think about what needs to happen in order for your plan to be implemented. Who are the key actors? Which actors need to take which actions?How likely – or how feasible – will it be for your plan to be implemented?This draws on your answer to the previous question. How possible is it for the actors you identified to complete the actions that are required for your plan to be enacted?Final SummaryThese are your parting words and the summation of your pitch. You should conclude with the key point or points that you think separates your plan from the competition

Accepted Answer

The Global Climate Harmony Initiative emerged as a beacon of hope in an era of environmental…