Watson: 2 C is behind us. Can we avoid 3? 5?

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Michael Tobis • 3 Comments

Alex Kirby reports some comments from Sir Robert Watson, former chair of IPCC, at Climate Central including:

All the promises in the world, which we’re not likely to realize anyway, will not give us a world with only a 2°C rise. All the evidence, in my opinion, suggests we’re on our way to a 3°C to 5°C world.
…
There are cost-effective and equitable solutions to address climate change, but political will and moral leadership is needed, and the changes in policies, practices and technologies required are substantial and not currently under way.
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When I was chairing the IPCC we were all very optimistic that we’d have a global agreement to limit emissions, though we knew it would be difficult. But we were hopeful that emissions would not go up at the tremendous rate they are rising now.
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We now know we can’t rule out a possible 5°C temperature rise, and we need to start preparing for it.

Filed Under: Beyond Planet Three

3 Responses to Watson: 2 C is behind us. Can we avoid 3? 5?

  1. Pete Dunkelberg says:
    February 17, 2013 at 7:17 pm

    “We now know we can’t rule out a possible 5°C temperature rise, and we need to start preparing for it.”

    Riight, and next you’re going to tell us how, right?

    Reply
    • Susan Anderson says:
      February 18, 2013 at 3:48 am

      yup. In Boston, they’re suggesting we can adapt by moving out of flood zones, too (they’re still putting up more highrises there at the moment. Developers, you see, are only interested in making a buck, and lenders only look at a decade or two.

      Reply
  2. Another Week of GW News, February 24, 2013 – A Few Things Ill Considered says:
    February 25, 2013 at 5:35 am

    [...] 2013/02/17: P3: [Robert] Watson: 2 C is behind us. Can we avoid 3? 5? [...]

    Reply
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