The most eminent US scientist and head of Nasa, Dr James Hansen, has said that we have passed the tipping point for Arctic and Greenland ice loss. This has dramatic implications for the possible accelaration of the rate of climate change. He suggests we now need to stabilise levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere at 350 parts per million (ppm) – lower than they are today (ca. 387 ppm). We discuss James Hansen’s recent findings and their implications with Dr Stuart Parkinson, Executive Director of Scientists for Global Responsibility who was a reviewer on the IPCC’s 2001 Report; and with Richard Hawkins of the Public Interest Research Centre who is preparing a UK edition of Climate Equity’s “Climate Code Red” report for publication. We consider whether our programme needs a new title in the light of the latest scientific findings.

Note on the programme title: Two Degrees Centigrade is the level that the European Union has denoted as a maximum level of global average temperature rise that should not be breached since beyond this there will be sufficient adverse impacts to constitute “dangerous climate change”.