New approaches for transitions to low fossil carbon societies: Promoting opportunities for effective development, diffusion and implementation of technologies, policies and strategies

The Paris Agreement signed on December 15 2015 is a landmark consensus in the global efforts to cope with climate change that emphasizes the importance to hold the increase in the global average temperature to below 2 °C and even to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. In order to achieve this target, it is urgently needed to introduce new approaches for transitions to low fossil carbon societies by promoting opportunities for effective development, diffusion and implementation of new technologies, policies and strategies. This Special Volume focuses upon both domestic and international institutions designed to facilitate improved low fossil carbon technology governance. The articles contained in this Special Volume demonstrate the barriers and opportunities to making the urgently needed changes, develop and test new concepts, structures, policies, and strategies for low fossil carbon technology governance. They indicate that there are various innovative technologies, policies and strategies available to make the drastic changes to low fossil carbon society and it is not too late to put those technologies, policies and strategies in practice to meet the 2 °C and 1.5 °C targets under the Paris Agreement.