PWC Low Carbon Economy Index - too late for 2 degrees?

Posted by Craig Clarke 
on Nov 5, 2012
 
The annual PricewaterhouseCoopers Low Carbon Economy Index centres on one core statistic: the rate of change of global carbon intensity. This year we estimated that the required improvement in global carbon intensity to meet a 2oC warming target has risen to 5.1% a year, from now to 2050.
 
We have passed a critical threshold – not once since World War Two has the world achieved that rate of decarbonisation in a single year, but the task now confronting us is to achieve it for 39 consecutive years.
 
The 2011 rate of improvement in carbon intensity was 0.8%. Even doubling our rate of decarbonisation, would still lead to emissions consistent with six degrees of warming by the end of the century. To give ourselves a more than 50% chance of avoiding two degrees will require a six-fold improvement in our rate of decarbonisation. 
 
Now one thing is clear: businesses, governments and communities across the world need to plan for a warming world – not just 2oC, but 4oC and, if our current rates continue, 6oC.
 We're heading into uncharted territory for the scale of transformation and technical innovations required. Whatever the scenario, or response, business as usual is not an option.
 
Click here to go to PWC page. 
 
 
Sponsors