When I was deciding the topic of my Ph.D. some years ago and expressed interest in studying the politics of climate change, a fellow doctoral candidate asked why I was not pursuing a “real” political science.

I felt this was a ridiculous question, convinced as I was that everyone understood how political climate change is. However, as the years have gone by, I have come to realize that, outside of certain circles, there is little appreciation of this fact.

Global warming is certainly a hot topic, and has been for a few years now. It elicits animated conversations, as well as some skepticism and dismissal — although the latter have thankfully grown quieter over the years. However, it remains outside of the core domain of politics and broader public consciousness in most countries.