Roger Cooke: Uncertainty in Climate Policy

Philosophy of a Specific Discipline symposium with Roger Cooke and Aidan Lyon

The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report documents the growth in our understanding of human impacts on the Earth’s climate. The inclusion of a chapter on Risk and Uncertainty testifies that large gaps in our knowledge remain. Decisions regarding mitigation and adaptation will impact the Earth we bequeath to our children’s grandchildren and these decisions will be taken — or not taken — before these knowledge gaps are closed. Will our descendants praise our foresight or curse our selfishness? Much depends on how climate uncertainty is factored into the current policy debate. There are formidable pitfalls when reasoning under uncertainty, into which both the scientific community and the general population repeatedly fall. This talk charts a course.

Roger Cooke

is professor in risk analysis at the TU Delft and Chauncey Starr Chair for Risk Analysis Resources for the Future. Prof Cooke was lead author for Risk and Uncertainty in the most recent Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC).

An extended commentary will be provided by Aidan Lyon from the University of Maryland and the Munich Centre for Mathematical Philosophy.

When & where?

Wednesday, October 21, 2015 at 3 pm
Room Omega of the Faculty of Philosophy

All are welcome!