It would definitely involve lifestyle changes, but de-carbonizing our society really wouldn't cost much more than the 5% you mention. Estimates are it would cos

It would definitely involve lifestyle changes, but de-carbonizing our society really wouldn't cost much more than the 5% you mention. Estimates are it would cost between 1-4% of GDP by 2030, and 2-6% by 2050[1]. I think the main reason it's cast as expensive is that there are corporations that would basically have to shut down, e.g. oil & gas, mining companies. They are telling everyone who will listen how expensive dealing with climate change will be - see the latest Australian election for example. In a way, they are right - they are going to lose all their revenue when we finally get them to stop extracting fossil fuels for burning. But society has a whole won't notice that much - I remember reading somewhere that switching to flushing toilets and sewer systems cost about the same amount in terms of GDP. [1] http://www.lse.ac.uk/GranthamInstitute/faqs/how-much-will-it-cost-to-cut-global-greenhouse-gas-emissions/ http://www.lse.ac.uk/GranthamInstitute/faqs/how-much-will-it...