Governments are gambling recklessly: Climate change calculations put millions at risk

Emissions cuts of 16% by 2030 needed to have at least 70% chance of avoiding climate catastrophe, says Friends of the Earth

Governments are gambling recklessly with human lives by wilfully underestimating the depth of the emission cuts they must makein the next 40 years, a new study has found.

Governments have so far based their calculations for cutting emissions on only a 50:50 chance of holding temperature rises to 2C, the point that many scientists consider to be the threshold for catastrophic climate change which, once passed, will leave millions exposed to drought, hunger and flooding. This constitutes an unacceptable risk, says the report from Friends of the Earth.

It suggests that to have any reasonable chance – 70% rather than 50% – of avoiding dangerous climate change emissions will need to fall 16% by 2030 worldwide, based on 1990 levels.

Climate change calculations put millions at risk, says new report | Environment | guardian.co.uk