New Books in Political Science Caroline Kuzemko, "Climate Politics: Can't Live with It, Can't Mitigate without It" (Cambridge UP, 2026)
May 1, 2026
Caroline Kuzemko, a professor of the political economy of climate change, explores why mitigation is inherently political. She outlines different framings of politicization and the social dynamics of policymaking. Conversations cover just transition tradeoffs, shifting global energy geopolitics, and how local and national politics shape mitigation over decades.
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Politics Is Not Just A Constraint
- Politics is often treated as a constraint and thus avoided in climate mitigation debates.
- Caroline Kuzemko argues politics also includes deliberation and institutions that are indispensable for designing and sustaining mitigation policies.
Mitigation Is A Crosscutting Policy Challenge
- Mitigation technically means reducing greenhouse gas emissions but in practice spans many policy areas like energy, transport, and markets.
- Kuzemko stresses mitigation's breadth because emission-focused approaches miss social and institutional interconnections needed for real change.
Depoliticizing Puts Too Much Faith In Tech
- Technical or market-first responses like 'follow the science' or 'technology will fix it' depoliticize mitigation.
- Kuzemko cites Colin Hay and emphasizes deliberation and social interaction as central political dimensions often overlooked.
