In a recent article published by Nature, ERG Alumnus Zeke Hausfather suggests that using more-realistic baselines for emissions would create better policies to counter global warming.
“Overstating the likelihood of extreme climate impacts can make mitigation seem harder than it actually is. This could lead to defeatism, because the problem is perceived as being out of control and unsolvable. Pressingly, it might result in poor planning, whereas a more realistic range of baseline scenarios will strengthen the assessment of climate risk,” said Hausfather.
However, he contends that “this admission does not make climate action less urgent. The need to limit warming to 1.5 °C, as made clear in the IPCC’s 2018 special report13, does not depend on having a 5 °C counterpoint.”
To read the rest of his article, click here.