Invited Paper IPF-TuM3
Constraining Carbon to Confront Climate Change

Tuesday, October 16, 2007, 8:40 am, Room 602/603

Article 2 of the Framework Convention on Climate Change calls for stabilizing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at levels that prevent *dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system* and in a time frame to *allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change*. Increasingly, expert assessments are calling for limiting the global average temperature increase to 2-2.5oC above pre-industrial levels and atmospheric concentrations below 550 ppm CO2-equivalent to meet these goals. Given that the earth is already committed to 1.4oC today and emissions are growing rapidly, domestic and international policy responses must be immediate, significant and sustained. The size of this task and the potential roles of various technologies and policies to achieve these goals will be described. A roadmap to confront climate change will need to include the following elements: accelerating the implementation of win-win solutions; developing a new global framework for mitigation; identifying strategies to adapt to ongoing and future changes in climate; creating and rebuilding cities to be climate resilient; increasing investments and cooperation in energy technology innovation; and forging partnerships across governments, corporations, the financial community and private organizations.