Science communication to go on Youtube
Produced from our home offices in corona times: short lectures, between 10 and 15 minutes long and in English, on aspects of "Climate & The Economy".
#1: Sabine Fuss on carbon removal
It must not be an excuse to be less ambitious about emissions abatement, but the 1.5 degree target requires atmospheric carbon removal. A range of technologies are conceivable, enhanced carbon pricing would help to roll them out.
#2: Jan Steckel on coal
Ongoing global investments in coal-fired power plants eat up remaining carbon budget. China plays a major role in developing and financing coal usage in many emerging countries. Carbon pricing and international climate finance may help to make renewables a viable alternative.
#3: Ulrike Kornek on international cooperation
Cooperation is essential for protecting nature and humans from various climate change impacts. The 2015 Paris Agreement was a partial success, but relies on voluntary agreements. National targets should be harmonised by carbon prices and incentivised by international climate finance.
#4: Michael Jakob on international trade
Some kind of trade restrictions are desirable to safeguard the ambitious EU climate policy. Textbook border carbon adjustment is inefficient due to substitution effects outside the EU. Pragmatic approach should consider strategic and legal aspects and avoid adverse impacts on poor countries.
#5: Matthias Kalkuhl on social balance – the case of Germany
Carbon pricing reduces emission and mitigates climate change at lowest overall cost. In countries like Germany, the poor are more affected than the rich, because a larger proportion of their expenditure is on energy. Giving the revenues back to consumers ensures a fair distribution of costs.
#6: Jan Minx on rapid policy learning
Learning on climate policies requires rigorous, transparent, inclusive and accessible research synthesis. Methods need to be scaled to vast literatures via artificial intelligence and data science approaches. Health sciences provide a precedent for what is needed in the field of climate.
#7: Nicolas Koch on policy evaluation
Policy measures and instruments should be subject to regular high-quality ex-post evaluation. Quasi-experiments mimic classical random assignment and help exploration of the counterfactual. Big data allows radical improvements in the way we can learn about solutions to real-world policy problems.
#8: Martin Kowarsch on value conflicts
Because of value conflicts and fact-value entanglement, a science-policy interface must deal with normative issues and explore the implications of alternative policies based on different values. Joint deliberation can help, leading to significant policy overlap despite value diversity.
#9: Felix Creutzig on demand-side solutions
Demand-side solutions help to mitigate climate change without compromising other planetary boundaries. They require the participation of citizens, investors, role models, professionals, and consumers. Since individuals are stuck in social practices and established infrastructures, collective action is needed.
