Strict global carbon budget needed - WWF report

A strict global carbon budget between now and 2050 based on a fair distribution between rich and poor nations has the potential to prevent dangerous climate change and keep temperature rise well below two degrees Celsius, a new WWF report shows. The report, called 'Sharing the effort under a global carbon budget', is based on research, calculations and analysis by the consultancy ECOFYS and shows different ways to cut global emissions by at least 80% globally by 2050 and by 30% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. "In order to avoid the worst and most dramatic consequences of climate change, governments need to apply the strictest measures to stay within a tight and total long-term global carbon budget," said Stephan Singer, Director of Global Energy Policy at WWF. "If governments 'relax' the rules according to which they distribute emissions, we will end up in climate chaos. There is no such thing as carbon offset for Planet Earth. We have just one planet and it needs one emissions budget. Ultimately, a global carbon budget is equal to a full global cap on emissions."