We get up to speed on the latest climate science by focusing on two papers published in a recent issue of Nautre. The papers tell us how much CO2 we can afford to pump into the atmosphere if we want to make it likely for us to stay within the 2C average global temperature rise threshold. The findings have dramatic implications for national and international climate policy.
Produced by Phil England for Climate Radio. If you broadcast this programme, please drop me a line to let me know at: phil@switch-off.co.uk Many thanks!
Press release for the Malte Meinshausen paper www.pik-potsdam.de/news/press-releases/on-the-way-to-phasing-out-emissions-more-than-50-reductions-needed-by-2050-to-respect-2b0c-climate-target Q&A relating to the Meinshausen paper www.pik-potsdam.de/news/press-releases/files/qanda_meinshausen_etal_2009_ghgtargets-2c_pik-press.pdf A Burden Beyond Bearing (overview of targets, Nature, 30 April 2009) http://www.nature.com/news/2009/090429/pdf/4581091a.pdf Contents for Nature, 30 April 2009 with links to the papers www.nature.com/nature/journal/v458/n7242/ World will not meet 2C warming target, climate change experts agree (The Guardian) www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/apr/14/global-warming-target-2c A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy (George Monbiot) www.monbiot.com/archives/2009/03/17/a-self-fulfilling-prophecy UK government targets âtoo weakâ to prevent dangerous climate change (Tyndall Centre) www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/mar/17/uk-climate-budget-advice-weak The Exit Strategy: Emissions targets must be placed in the context of a cumulative carbon budget if we are to avoid dangerous climate change (Myles Allen et al, commentary in Nature Reports Climate Change) www.nature.com/climate/2009/0905/pdf/climate.2009.38.pdf Reframing the climate change challenge in light of post-2000 emissions trends (Anderson & Bows, PTRS, 2008) www.tyndall.ac.uk/publications/journal_papers/fulltext.pdf