This year the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published its Fourth Assessment Report. Although the third report, back in 2001, already made clear that humankind has left its fingerprint on the Earth’s climate, this year’s report is much more decisive in its conclusions. Skeptical sound bites are hard to find nowadays and even the US-based oil lobby fell silent.

Complimentary to the conclusions of the IPCC (that will be repeated with the publication of the integral report within a few weeks) Al Gore brought the climate change issue to the highest political level. While civil servants in most departments were still holding back, government leaders overtook them with high ambitions. Even US President Bush now draws political conclusions from climate change science, instead of questioning it.

The IPCC laid the scientific basis for all this. In retroaction, the Nobel Prize means rehabilitation for some people like former IPCC heads James Hansen and Bob Watson. You might say the heavy personal criticisms have had a negative influence on their further careers, but now there is full acknowledgement of their importance. Better late than never.

In the last year, the IPCC and Al Gore have put the emphasis regarding climate change where it should be. The question is no longer “Are we going to take measures?”, but “What measures are we going to take?” The Oscar and Nobel committees have confirmed this. Now it’s a matter of economics, innovation, developing new markets, and new employment.

Rolf de Vos

Editor in chief

GreenPrices

r.devos@greenprices.com