Energy Insiders - a RenewEconomy Podcast Time to go "full sail" on decarbonisation
Sep 12, 2025
Pep Canadell, Chief Research Scientist at CSIRO and executive director of the Global Carbon Project, emphasizes the need for high climate targets by 2035. He discusses how reduced aerosols reveal hidden warming, the weakening of carbon sinks, and the alarming rate of ocean heat uptake. Canadell highlights the critical differences between 1.5°C and 2°C warming, advocates for ambitious decarbonisation strategies, and argues that now is the time to act to manage climate impacts. He also warns against the politicization of climate science.
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AMOC Is Slowing And Could Worsen Under High Emissions
- Studies now detect a slowdown in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC).
- A stronger slowdown or collapse remains plausible under very high-emission scenarios.
Cut Emissions To Keep Impacts Manageable
- Apply the brakes: cut emissions quickly to keep impacts manageable and reduce adaptation costs.
- Aim to stabilize the climate to avoid long-term, hard-to-reverse damage.
US Cuts Forced Scientists To Leave
- Some US climate scientists left jobs or faced defunding and program cuts under recent policies.
- Loss of satellite and observation funding risks global science and Australian monitoring reliance.