MOTIVATION
Ambition
All combined efforts presently taken around the globe to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will not be able to stabilize the rise in emissions of greenhouse gases. The International Energy Agency (IEA) expects that, if governments around the world stick to existing policies, global energy-related emissions of carbon-dioxide (CO2) will continue to grow from 27 Gt in 2005 to 42 Gt in 2030 and 62 Gt in 2050. A rise of 57%.
Several ambitious plans exist to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2050. To meet this target represents a formidable challenge. According to IEA this would require immediate policy action and technological transition on an unprecedented scale. It will essentially require a new global energy revolution which would completely transform the way we produce and use energy.
[IEA - World Energy Outlook 2007]
However, there is a very substantial chance that even this will not be enough. These ambitious plans are expected to limit the concentration of greenhouse gases to 500 – 550 ppm CO2-equivalent. This is almost certainly too high to keep global temperature rise well below 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels and given the possibility of positive feedbacks, it may even lead to a temperature rise of 4 degrees or more
[Stern Review 2006]
We need to start realising such ambitious plans. However, we also need to discuss even more ambitious ideas, both to reduce emissions, to enhance carbon storage and to influence the earth's energy balance. Clever Climate hopes to stimulate the debate on possible elements of such an emergency plan.
Focus
Possible plans may involve large scale implementations of sustainable energy, measures to prevent carbon emissions from ecosystems or other positive feedbacks. Apart from preventing emissions means to increase carbon uptake deserve special attention as well.
Clever Climate keeps a strict focus on only those plans that may take positive effect on a global scale. Thereby Clever Climate hopes to stimulate the quest for new optional solutions with which the urgency of the climate crisis can be properly met.
Openly discussing new possible solutions presented in these plans will contribute to the formation of new ideas. As with any scientific breakthrough, always, further research will be required. Even the plans that will prove likely unwise to execute, may contribute to scientific developments.
Positioning
Clever Climate does not advocate any specific plan or solution, nor any specific policy direction. Further more, it should be recognized, in general, that the larger the scale of a plan, the larger the scale at which any possible negative side effects may occur.
However, the scale of the initial problem can no longer be ignored.