The Nelson Mail: Heat is on to cool climate

Niwa chief climate scientist Dr David Wratt says the world has only six years to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions to avoid severe global consequences, writes Naomi Arnold of The Nelson Mail.

Dr Wratt was speaking on “Climate Change: Choice and Consequences” at the 66th annual Thomas Cawthron Memorial Lecture, to a crowd of 400 at the Nelson School of Music.

An excerpt: (read in full here)

“”We don’t want to spend six years arguing about an agreement,” [Dr David Wratt] said. “If we don’t we’re going to see very major problems in the future.”

“”There’s no doubt the world is warming up and various impacts are occurring now.

“”New Zealand needs to be arguing really strongly for a two-degree target and play its fair share,” he said. “We’re only responsible for a small part of emissions [0.2 per cent] but the world is made up of groups of four million people.””