Warning we must step up fight against climate change... meet Kirsten Dunlop, head of Climate-KIC

Tackling 'vested interests' and undertaking a complete societal transformation is needed to combat the ravages of climate change and put the world on track for a low-carbon future.

The head of Climate-KIC, Kirsten Dunlop.

The head of Climate-KIC (Knowledge and Innovation Community), Kirsten Dunlop, says the scale of the challenge requires a global effort never seen before in human history, which will require deep transformation, regulation and convincing capital markets to invest in new technologies.

"In terms of self-transformation, we've rarely done that as a species and we've never had to do it at a planetary level. To get on track, we're going to have to do the really difficult stuff which is going to run foul of every vested interest we have out there," she says.

Climate-KIC is the EU's largest public-private partnership, tasked with addressing climate change through innovation by achieving deep decarbonisation across cities, while tackling land use, agriculture and industrial manufacturing, and securing finance.

Read Paul Mella’s story from the Independent - “Warning we must step up fight against climate change... meet Kirsten Dunlop, head of Climate-KIC.”

Good news, but we musn't take our eye off the ball

Prof Malte Meinshausen -
"It's the low-carbon
future we want to see".

The news is good – global carbon dioxide emissions plateaued in 2014, but we can’t take our eye off the ball.

Writing in The Age, Environment Editor at the Sydney Morning Herald, Peter Hannam, said, “Last month capped 30 years in which average monthly temperatures worldwide have been warmer than the average for the 20th century. That's 360 consecutive months.

“And that warming trend, which scientists say is mostly the result of a build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, remains strong - although there are finally signs that carbon emissions may be peaking,” he wrote.

An associate professor at the University of Melbourne's school of earth sciences Professor Malte Meinshausen said the stall in emissions was "at least a start".

"It's the entry requirement for whatever low-carbon future we want to see," he said.

He was quoted in the Age story - “Thirty years of consecutive warmth: the heat really is on”.