Climate positives
Some positive views on progress in combatting climate change will be considered in this post. They concern what has been achieved so far; public support for climate action; our understanding of climate change; new technology; global action; and individual rewards. Achievements In a 2014 report the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) set out four scenarios for future warming based on different levels of emissions. The recent removal of the worst case, highest emissions scenario from the group of four has attracted considerable media comment. This scenario, known as RPC8.5 assumed continuing emissions with increased use of fossil fuels, resulting in a temperature rise of 4.5°C by 2100. (The notation refers to a level of radiative forcing of 8.5 watts per square metre). An article in The Conversation (2026) notes that climate change predictions must be revised in the light of new information and that RPC8.5 was removed because “climate action is starting to work”. Positi...