At least the US is on board, but the pact to reduce emissions by 25-40 per cent by 2020 might well not be sufficient to prevent the 1.5 centigrade rise in global temperatures that will be disastrous for the planet.
In another excellent article from George Monbiot of The Guardian, he argues that we need to “decarbonise our society” in order to achieve reductions of 95.9 percent in the UK and 98.3 per cent in the US by 2050.
Impossible? Maybe, but as the effects of climate change become more evident, pressure on the chemicals industry will mount. A great deal more investment in new technologies to reduce emissions will surely be necessary – to put more substance behind some of the right noises industry leaders are making.