Amid the ongoing debate about climate change, investors often fail to appreciate the sheer weight of scientific evidence attesting to humanity’s impact on the planet. Equally, they might not know where further research is required before firm conclusions can be reached about how best to contain global warming.
This paper – authored by Oxford University and sponsored by Pictet – seeks to give a brief but firm grounding on the current state of knowledge about climate change, its implications and what sort of solutions might be possible.
Written in thoughtful, clear and unemotive language by Professor Cameron Hepburn and Moritz Schwarz of the University’s Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, it is an important resource for those of us who are not climate change specialists.
It addresses several contentions – that climate change is not happening or that, if it is, it will be mild – or that, in any event humans are not causing it. The authors also address questions about the impact of climate change – whether there might be benefits, the scale of likely damage, and humans’ ability to adapt.
It is research we at Pictet are proud to have sponsored. We understand that climate change affects all of our futures, wherever we are in the world, whatever our standing.