How hot will we go? Can the climate runaway? How fast must we cut emissions to save a livable world? Latest science from Professor John Schellnhuber of Potsdam Institute, keynote address at "Four Degrees of More" conference, University of Melbourne, Australia, July 2011. Essential listening.
"Four Degrees or More" conference organized by The Melbourne Sustainable Society institute, the Melbourne Energy Institute, The Monash Sustainability Institute, and The Purves Environmental Fund.
Find all conference speeches, plus 2 videos, at http://www.fourdegrees2011.com.au
No copyright music.
Also posted below as 2 29 min segments, for stations needing time for ID/announcements.
This keynote speech was lightly edited to fit available broadcast time.
Introduction, reintro's and exit by Alex Smith, host of Radio Ecoshock (ecoshock.org).
Schellnhuber notes the "traumatic impact" of climate change on the United States. Ironicaly, U.S. agriculture may still benefit for the first years, until getting burned out by too high temperatures.
South Pacific countries will suffer first and most.
Germany's plan to cut emissions by 40% by 2020 - without using nuclear power - is explained.
Schellnhuber says once we pass 2 degrees over pre-industrial levels, Earth becomes an ice-free planet with very high sea levels. This condition cannot be reversed for at least 50,000 years, perhaps much longer.
In a worst case scenario (keeping emissions growing at our current rate) most humans would have to live in places like Canada or Sweden.
A disturbing speech, with no sugar coating - exactly as John Schellnhuber has advised heads of world governments directly.
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