There have been two major scientific debates in recent years about how much climate change we are likely to see throughout the twenty-first century. The first debate focuses on greenhouse-gas emissions. Which emissions scenarios are plausible? Which should be considered 'business as usual'? Are high-emissions scenarios being overused in research and policy? The second debate focuses on climate sensitivity. What should we make of the record heat of 2023? Is global warming accelerating or was this just a normal El Niño anomaly? Have our efforts to reduce air pollution from aerosols unintentionally made us more vulnerable to climate change? Join us for a panel discussion aimed at demystifying the evidence and arguments in these debates, with experts, Dr. Roger Pielke Jr., from the University of Colorado Boulder, and Dr. Brian Medeiros from UCAR.

Speakers Include:

Roger Pielke Jr.: Director of Sports Governance Center, CU Boulder

Brian Medeiros: Project Scientist, Climate & Global Dynamics Lab, UCAR

Moderated By:

Matt Burgess: Director, Center for Social and Environmental Futures, University of Colorado, Boulder

*C-SEF's Big Picture seminars will address questions pertaining to long-term and large-scale futures, such as how economic growth, geopolitics, global security, inequality, migration patterns, and other development trends will be affected by environmental problems, and how they will affect humankind’s ability to achieve environmental goals.

This in-person event will take place in the CIRES Auditorium (CIRES 338) on April 30 at 3 pm. A short reception will follow in the CIRES Map Room (CIRES 340) at 4:30 pm. Everyone is welcome.