In the January/February issue of Skeptical Inquirer Amardeo Sarma founder and chairman of the German skeptics organization GWUP has a short piece that is critical of the new IPCC report on Global Warming.

The report is available at http://www.ipcc.ch/report/sr15/

The report indicates that past emissions are already adequate to cause a rise in global temperature of 1.5.C. ( about 2.7ºF) To stay at that predicted rise, and rise no further, the report says emissions that lend to global warming must be reduced to zero by 2050.

By limiting the warming to 1.5ºC it is hoped that the severe effects of a 2ºC rise will be avoided. Those effects are severe rises in sea level, loss of marine life, ocean acidification. Other risks to be avoided would be risks to health, food supply, and water supply. An ambiguous reference is made also to other problems.

Sarma reports that the shortcomings of the report include a failing to address that countries trying to lift their citizens out of poverty will not follow the recommended guidelines. In other words, it does not adequately address the Sustainable Development Goals. I refer to this failing as human inertia*.

Another failing of this report hinges on technology, specifically bio-energy with carbon capture, which is presently in its infancy. Commercially it is unviable, as capitalism will not support it.

This report is also biased toward renewable sources and has an unreasonable bias against nuclear power sources. France and Sweden achieved fast decarbonization rates through increased use of nuclear power. Meanwhile, the IPCC has not commissioned any exclusive reports on nuclear power as they have for renewables.

*This human failing I call human inertia is responsible for many of the failings of human species. There are so many groups of humans separated by country that to get behind any idea, even one that will save the human species, is impossible. As a result, nothing gets done. The status quo continues. In this instance the status quo will result in the extinction of life as we know it. Until this human inertia problem is solved all the reports in the world will not mitigate the continued rise in emissions.