Dr. David Spratt is a Research Director for Breakthrough and co-author of Climate Code Red: The case for emergency action (Scribe 2008). His recent reports include Recount: It’s time to “Do the math” again; Climate Reality Check and Antarctic Tipping Points for a Multi-metre Sea-level Rise.

Dr. Spratt was a guest speaker of the Los Alamos Study Group on 5 November 2021, via Zoom, at the Study Group event outside the NM State Capitol, from his home in Melbourne, Australia.

David Spratt: "With “net zero 2050” and the 1.5°C in the same breath, Glasgow reeks of cognitive dissonance, originally published by Climate Code Red, Nov 2, 2021.

“Net zero 2050” (NZ2050) is a con, as this blog has reported over and over again, as did this Breakthrough report. Central bankers have NZ2050 scenarios in which fossil fuels constitute 50% of primary energy use in 2050. When the Murdoch media endorses the NZ2050 climate goal, you know it is the problem and not the answer. 2050 is so far away it’s a reason for procrastination. Judging by the G20 outcome, even NZ2050 and a coal phase-out may not pass muster in Glasgow. China is on net zero by 2060 and India on net zero by 2070.

"But 2050 is not the critical goal. 2025 and 2030 need to be the focus, and on these targets there is no reason to think COP26 is going to be within coo-ee of what needs to be done."