S1E113: Scientists who track world’s rapidly diminishing carbon budget

Can burning fossil fuels be phased out before the world gets too
hot to live in?


Synopsis: The Straits Times' climate editor David Fogarty is at
COP28 from Nov 23 till Dec 12 in Dubai, the United Nations
climate change conference.


Every year, the Global Carbon Project releases its Carbon Budget,
which projects global fossil fuel and land use emissions. The
Global Carbon Project is a consortium of scientific institutions
and the annual carbon budget study involves more than 100
scientists. 


And this year’s study predicts that fossil fuel carbon emissions
will reach a new record in 2023, driven largely by strong growth
in coal, oil and gas consumption in India and China. On top of
this are carbon emissions from land use, such as deforestation
and fires globally. 


And the world could hit the 1.5 deg C key temperature limit
within 7 years at current rates of emissions, the study says.


In this episode, recorded at COP28, ST's David Fogarty hosts
leading climate scientist Professor Pierre Friedlingstein, who
coordinates the Global Carbon Budget study. He is also Chair in
Mathematical Modelling of the Climate System at the University of
Exeter in Britain.


Highlights of conversation (click/tap above):


4:07 Key findings from this year’s Global Carbon Budget analysis


6:38 What are the trends for fossil fuel emissions in India and
China?


9:38 Which findings from this year’s study concern Professor
Friedlingstein the most, and which give him hope?


12:00 Is the world any closer to a global peak of emissions?


14:56 The land and oceans absorb a lot of CO2; will they remain
in good shape as the world warms?


Produced by: David Fogarty (dfogarty@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis and
Amirul Karim


Edited by: Amirul Karim


Follow Green Pulse Podcast here and rate us:


Channel: https://str.sg/JWaf


Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWaY


Spotify: https://str.sg/JWag


Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts


Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg


Follow David Fogarty on X: https://str.sg/JLM6


Read his articles: https://str.sg/JLMu


---


Discover more ST podcast channels:


COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE


In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt


Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7


Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN


Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf


Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m


ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE


#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad


Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX


Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts


---


Special edition series:


True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T


The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps):
https://str.sg/wuZ2


Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn


Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB


Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa


---


Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!


#GreenPulse #COP28


See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.