In February, ETC Chair Adair Turner, gave a guest lecture at Keele University as a part of their World Affairs Lecture series. This was Adair’s second lecture of this series. On the first occasion in 2020, his lecture entitled “Technological optimism, behaviour change and planetary boundaries” discussed whether limiting the effects of climate change would require limiting consumption and living more frugal lives or if technology provides most of the solutions. Broadly, though with an important exception related to food and land use, Adair leaned towards technological optimism, but warned that progress may not happen fast enough to avoid severe effects of global warming.
This second lecture revisits that theme five years later, and considers that while technology makes it possible to build a zero-carbon economy fast enough to limit warming to well-below 2°C, political barriers may prevent it.
Adair outlines his four main points and conclusions simply:
- “Latest emission and temperature trends – very very bad.”
- “Technological trends and long-term economics – far more favourable than I dared hope 15 years ago.”
- “Humanity’s inherent ability to cooperate to achieve collective long-term benefits – always imperfect and probably becoming more so as the world of politics is changed by social media.”
- “The immediate political situation – very very bad.”
Watch the full lecture and hear about what can be done now to maximise the chances of success in limiting global warming.