Paris target can be met but only if governments act now

New study published in Nature Climate journal today reveals that the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement target to limit the increase in global average temperature to below 2ºC can be met, but only if governments act now.

The research, led by Earth System scientists Dr Philip Holden and Dr Neil Edwards of the Open University and involving Cambridge Econometrics’ economists Hector Pollitt and Unnada Chewpreecha, used a combination of climate, economic and technology models to show that meeting the Paris target is still achievable.

Hector Pollitt, Head of Modelling at Cambridge Econometrics said:

The results show that the uncertainties over meeting climate targets relate to policy implementation and not technological development. Whether we meet the targets or not depends on the will of global policy makers.

The study finds that meeting the Paris agreement target does not depend on the removal of large quantities of carbon from the atmosphere by future generations, so-called ‘carbon capture’, a process which is currently exceptionally expensive.