A Vox writer concedes that RCP8.5, the high-emissions pathway behind the most dire climate predictions, was never meant as a realistic forecast. It was an extreme hypothetical scenario that nonetheless shaped 15 years of climate coverage, including his own work at Time magazine.
The admission follows the growing rejection of RCP8.5 by scientists who note it relies on implausible assumptions about coal use and emissions growth.
A Vox writer concedes that RCP8.5, the high-emissions pathway behind the most dire climate predictions, was never meant as a realistic forecast. It was an extreme hypothetical scenario that nonetheless shaped 15 years of climate coverage, including his own work at Time magazine. The admission follows the growing rejection of RCP8.5 by scientists who note it relies on implausible assumptions about coal use and emissions growth.
SOURCE: https://x.com/SteveGuest/status/2058198078146965543