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Accelerating net zero: Simon Sharpe's "Five times faster" presents a bold new strategy

In the wake of the alarming Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, Simon Sharpe's new book "Five Times Faster" offers hope by proposing an innovative, yet achievable path to net zero emissions by 2050.


As a former civil servant with firsthand experience in climate negotiations, Sharpe leverages his insights to advocate for a departure from economy-wide emissions targets, and instead, focusing on tipping points where green technologies become affordable.


Many of the worst risks are uncertain and so have been omitted from the reports, leaving politicians unaware of the scale of the risk.

Despite the continuous rise in annual global emissions, Sharpe argues that the world has made progress in reducing emissions intensity through renewable power, electric vehicles, and energy efficiency. To reach net zero emissions by 2050, however, he asserts that we must decrease emissions intensity by 8% per year - five times faster than the current rate.


Sharpe criticizes both scientists and economists for their respective roles in hindering progress. Scientists, he claims, tend to focus on the more certain risks, leaving politicians uninformed about the full scope of potential climate change impacts. Economists, on the other hand, have utilized unrealistic models that underestimate the economic damage from climate change and overestimate the cost of transitioning to renewable energy sources.


To address these challenges, Sharpe advocates for a new approach to climate diplomacy by focusing on tipping points where zero-carbon technologies become more affordable than fossil fuels. Drawing from successful examples in the UK and Norway, he demonstrates the potential for rapid progress through modest carbon taxes and targeted subsidies for electric vehicles.



Additionally, he emphasizes the importance of technological advancements in areas like battery storage to support the widespread adoption of renewable energy sources.


Although "Five Times Faster" delves into technical discussions, it offers a well-researched and balanced perspective on the future of climate change mitigation efforts.


As the world faces the growing urgency of the climate crisis, Sharpe's book presents a thought-provoking and actionable roadmap for meaningful progress.


 

Five Times Faster: Rethinking the Science, Economics and Diplomacy of Climate Change by Simon Sharpe is published by Cambridge University Press (£20).

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