Headline: “The 2 Degrees Target Revisited”: IASS Scientific Director Mark Lawrence participated in panel discussion at Berlin office of UK Think Tank E3G

12.07.2013

As the window for ambitious climate action until “the 2015 moment” is narrowing, the UK Think Tank E3G, short for Third Generation Environmentalism, considered it timely to reengage and reignite the debate with the panel discussion “The 2 Degrees Target Revisited: Why There Is No Case for an Alternative” on July 8, 2013, at the Stiftung Mercator.

Amongst others, IASS Scientific Director Mark Lawrence argued that the 2 degrees target is “not a hard threshold” because many factors, other than CO₂, need to be taken into account, namely the so called Short-Lived Climate-Forcing Pollutans (SLCP), i.e., substances such as soot or black carbon, ozone, methane and hydrofluorocarbons. Nonetheless, he expressed the view that the 2 degrees target constitutes “a very useful policy approach”, despite the fact that, scientifically speaking, “the whole story is a lot more complex”.

Gathering a diverse range of stakeholders from civil society, government representative, academia, industry and media, there was broad consensus that an ambitious international climate deal is still within reach. The main focus of the debate was the continued practicality of the 2 degrees target and what levers Germany in particular has available to work towards its realization.

The panel included

Tom Burke, Founding Director (E3G)
Dr. Karsten Sach, Head of Directorate European and International Environmental Policy (BMU)
Dr. Oliver Geden, Senior Associate (SWP)
PD Dr. Mark Lawrence, Scientific Director (IASS)

and was moderated by Dr. Sabrina Schulz, Head of Berlin Office (E3G).