| Better late than never, the climate model scenario known as RCP8.5, which equates to 6C warming, is finally being abandoned after years of misuse by alarmists as ‘business as usual’ when was only ever intended as a ‘worst case scenario.’ (1) With drivers always being the primary target of the agenda hiding in plain sight under the guise of ‘environmentalism’, the ABD has remained steadfastly on the rational side of the argument. Whilst climate model projections are now around 3C, there is increasingly strong scientific evidence that climate sensitivity to a doubling of atmospheric CO2 to 560ppm is less than 2C. (2) There’s more good news from the International Energy Agency (IEA) for those who are worried about global CO2 emissions. Global coal use peaked in 2014 and the world is poised on the brink of a long CO2 emissions plateau. (3) ABD Environment Spokesman Paul Biggs said: “People in the UK individually or collectively do not control global CO2 emissions, climate or weather. The claim that the UK is ‘tackling’ or ‘halting’ climate change is patently false. The UK emits less than 1% of global man-made CO2. The UK isn’t ‘leading’ the global big emitters, it’s going in the opposite direction. Nor is the UK’s decarbonisation record applicable to other countries. Between 2006 and 2017, energy demand in the UK fell 17% (mainly due to the de-industrialisation of the economy) while global energy demand rose by 20%. China burns half of world coal production, has 2,392 coal and natural gas-fired power plants, plans to expand coal power by 25% by 2030, plans to double natural gas consumption by 100% by 2035, and emits 30% of global man-made CO2. A Net Zero CO2 UK would have a net zero global effect at a huge social and economic cost. We need affordable, cost-effective, deliverable polices based on rational thinking not alarmism, extreme models, or the psychologically damaging Climate Death Cult as promoted by the likes of Greta Thunberg and Extinction Rebellion.” Ends Notes for Editors (1) BBC – Climate change: Worst emissions scenario ‘misleading’: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-51281986 (2) Climate sensitivity in the light of the latest energy imbalance evidence: https://judithcurry.com/2020/01/10/climate-sensitivity-in-light-of-the-latest-energy-imbalance-evidence/ (3) Global carbon dioxide emissions are on the brink of a long plateau: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rogerpielke/2019/11/30/global-carbon-dioxide-emissions-are-on-the-brink-of-a-long-plateau/#19d50d26338d |
