The concept of comprehensiveness embedded in the climate convention is
discussed with attention to political and scientific considerations t
hat need to be taken into account for this approach to serve as a tool
for enhancing the effectiveness of a climate regime. The manners in w
hich the approach may serve as an instrument for facilitating negotiat
ion and implementation of a climate regime are discussed, and an opera
tional definition is suggested. A key question with regard to the empl
oyment of a comprehensive approach in climate politics concerns how we
ll methodologies for comparing gases perform. This question is discuss
ed with regard to Global Warming Potentials (GWPs). When the most impo
rtant greenhouse gases are concerned, we suggest that in the absence o
f better alternatives, the use of GWPs may serve as a preliminary tool
for policy making until better methods are developed. It is emphasize
d that the choice of time horizon has significant ecological and polit
ical implications that should be taken into account.