Introduction: The Politics of Climate Change

The bright promises of modern life have long had a dark side. Science and technology aren't innately good or evil, but they are marshaled to the purposes of their sponsors, whose intentions are often far from benign. While the nuclear age, for instance, promised abundant energy, it was given shape by military concerns, and the weapons it made possible put the destruction of the planet within human reach for the first time. But at least we knew what those weapons were for.