PIK STATEMENT on the entry into force of the Paris Agreement

03/11/2016 - This Friday, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change that was adopted at the UN Climate Summit at the end of last year enters into force.

Prof. Dr. Ottmar Edenhofer, chief economist of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) on this issue:

"The entry into force of the Paris Agreement sends a strong message: the world agrees to phase out fossil fuels within our century. However, the real work is starting only now. Countries worldwide need to adopt substantially more stringent emission reduction schemes. If they want to be serious about meeting the target of limiting warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, they for instance cannot allow any new coal power plant to be built. Pricing carbon is key to incentivize clean innovation, punish CO2 intensive fuels, and in the same time generate revenues that governments urgently need for infrastructure improvements. The science is clear: delaying action would only raise costs. It would do so in terms of Dollars and Euros and  Yuan - and even more importantly in terms of human suffering."

Paris Reality Check - pledged climate futures: https://www.pik-potsdam.de/paris-reality-check/