NZ Climate Change Centre

NZCCC Climate Briefs address climate change-related issues that are largely rooted in climate science but may be highly relevant to climate change policy or society.  In this respect NZCCC Climate Briefs are intended to be multi-disciplinary in nature.

The Briefs intend to unpack the dense scientific or policy-related language and present information in a clear, succinct manner.  They are therefore aimed at a broad audience (which may include but will not be limited to scientists, researchers, policy-makers and the general public).

Please contact the NZCCC if there are any topics you would like to see addressed in future NZCCC Climate Briefs.

Climate Brief No. 1 (November 2011)

"The Challenge of Limiting Warming to Two Degrees"

Climate Brief No. 1 explains the scientific basis behind the UNFCCC objective to “prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system” and backgrounds the various emission and concentration targets used in climate change policy designed to achieve the 2°C limit (the global warming limit that the 194 countries who have ratified UNFCCC agreed would help meet that objective). The Brief also sets out some of the possible consequences of failing to hold warming to 2°C, and summarises the impact we might expect under a range of other warming scenarios. It closes with a look at the extent of emissions cuts needed to meet the 2°C goal, and the timelines required to achieve them.

Disclaimer:  All NZCCC Climate Briefs are published by the NZCCC on behalf of its member organisations. The member organisations agree to the preparation of a brief on a particular topic, but do not individually provide sign-off approval of the text. Approval for publication is provided by the NZCCC Director, after considering scientific peer review comments on the draft text. This means any views expressed, and any perceived errors or omissions are the responsibility of the authors, and not of the member organisations of the NZCCC.