Stern has also called on the international community to set limits on carbon emissions. "The United States produces around 20 percent of global emissions, which is a huge amount, but that still leaves about 80 percent produced elsewhere," he wrote in 2007.

Stern emphasizes treaties that set emissions standards, but that allow countries to decide with maximum flexibility how they meet these goals. He has emphasized the importance of incorporating science and scientific findings into research on global warming and climate change.

Developing Countries and Climate Change

Historically, developing countries like China and India have been reluctant to sign on to any treaties that would limit their carbon emissions because they say that would unfairly limit their growth.

However, Stern believes that the U.S. must incorporate developing countries into new treaties in order to effectively combat global warming. He would incentivize participation by making developing countries' limits less stringent and by encouraging the developed world to provide the technologies it needs to meet these goals.

China is a particular important ally because of its tremendous (and rapidly growing) carbon output, Stern writes. China must be a partner, She argues, and in order to earn that country's trust, the U.S. must help China solve its environmental problems. "Washington needs to frame its partnership with Beijing as a mission to achieve the twin goals to clean up its environmental act [and to] mitigate its climate change problem." To Stern argues that to achieve this, the U.S. must work with Japan and Europe to provide China environmental technology and investment mobilization.

Negotiating Climate Agreements

Too often, Stern says top-level politicians are not involved in the development of environmental or climate treaties. As a result, government officials assigned to negotiate the deals cannot offer the kind of capital and compromises required to push forward lasting change. "When political energy is finally brought to bear by ministers results are too often continued stalemate or modest compromise," he wrote in 2007.

Stern's solution is the creation of the E-8, a group of eight nations (including four developed and four developing countries), which would meet regularly and discuss pressing climate issues. The group would function similarly to the G-7.

Stern argues that the group would personally involve world leaders and establish a less bureaucratic arena for discussions on ecology. He proposes that the United States, the European Union, Japan, Russia, China, India, Brazil, and South Africa should each be offered membership.

Stern maintains that this network would make it easier to develop agreements on cutting carbon emissions, stopping deforestation and improving the spread of hybrid cars.

Tariffs

One of Stern's most notable proposals is an international tariff on goods that are produced by countries who have not agreed to somehow limit their carbon emissions. Such a tariff would not only encourage countries to participate, it would also assure fair pricing.

Deforestation

Stern considers stopping deforestation one of the world's top priorities. Forests, he wrote, are being destroyed at an unsustainable rate, and developing and developed countries alike need to come together to stop the trade of illegal logs and support a strong certification program for all wood, among other steps.

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