Climate change: Enough science, now for the politics
Science can prove climate change is happenig but it won't tell us what to do about it, says professor of climate change, Mike Hulme
Science can prove global climate change is happening, but it won't tell us what to do about it, says professor of climate change, Mike Hulme.
Climate change raises many questions about development goals and practices.
These can only be resolved through widespread social deliberation and hard political negotiation.
Simply more or 'better' science won't be enough.
The idea that humans are changing the global climate system was first developed, elaborated and demonstrated by natural scientists.
The scientific evidence backing this basic idea is now overwhelming, even if scientific predictions of future climate changes are still shrouded in uncertainty.
But although science is very good at revealing how things are, and suggesting what physical manifestations might follow a particular course of action, it has limited relevance and reach when deciding what should be done in the face of complex dilemmas - such as climate change.
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