Friday, 28 May 2021

Five Years (That's Might Be What We've Got?)

The World Meteorological Organisation are reporting there is a 40% chance (almost equivalent to tossing a coin), the planet will 'temporarily' reach a temperature 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels within the next 5 years (https://public.wmo.int/en/media/press-release/new-climate-predictions-increase-likelihood-of-temporarily-reaching-15-%C2%B0c-next-5). 1.5 degrees Centigrade was the 'guesitimate' of an upper 'safe' limit of climate change, agreed at the Paris meeting. That rise may, of course, be neither 'safe' nor 'temporary'. There are such things as 'tipping points', when changes become effectively almost irreversible. Perhaps imminence of the event will focus minds? I can't actually see much real evidence of that. All the talk (and talk is all we have), is of reaching carbon zero by 2030 or 2050. This implies we humans have all the time in the world.

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