US climate envoy criticised for optimism on green tech

America’s climate envoy has said that the world’s climate crisis can be brought under control by technology that doesn’t yet exist

America’s climate envoy John Kerry believes modern technology will mean we won’t need to change consumption habits to reduce emissions.

To reach the country’s goal of net-zero emissions by 20-50, Kerry says his country will be able to rely on tech that hasn’t been invented yet.

But University of Cambridge Professor Julian Allwood believes “it’s virtually impossible for new technologies to have a significant effect on global emissions in the time we have left to act”.

“We don’t have to give up the quality of life to achieve some of the things we want to achieve.”

John Kerry

Meanwhile, Craig Bennet from UK Wildlife Trusts says “we will benefit from new technologies, but they are most likely to be in industries that already exist – such as renewables”