The Carbon Paradox: Prosperity in a Carbon-Constrained World

What if the very force that enabled modern prosperity is now becoming its greatest constraint?Carbon dioxide lies at the heart of one of the defining paradoxes of our time.Essential to life on Earth, CO₂ has also been the invisible engine of industrialization, economic growth, and rising living standards. Yet the same process that fueled modern prosperity has progressively altered the atmosphere, reshaping climate systems, public policy, and financial markets.The Carbon Paradox offers a rigorous and accessible framework for understanding this transformation.Bridging climate science, economics, finance, and public policy, this book explains how a trace gas became a central driver of systemic risk in the global economy.From the physical mechanisms of the greenhouse effect to the economics of carbon pricing, from climate governance to national energy pathways, Jérôme Parzy provides an integrated perspective on one of the most complex challenges of the twenty-first century.The book explores: - The science of carbon and climate dynamics - The historical evolution of global emissions - The links between energy, growth, and prosperity - Climate regulation and corporate accountability - Decarbonization pathways and transition finance - Comparative national case studies, including France, Germany, China, the United States, and IndiaCombining scientific evidence, macroeconomic analysis, and institutional perspectives, The Carbon Paradox is designed for readers seeking a structured understanding of climate risk and the economic transformation underway.An essential read for investors, policymakers, students, business leaders, and anyone interested in the future of prosperity in a carbon-constrained world.