Introduction
Detlef van Vuuren is one of the world’s leading climate modellers and, as a result, a high-profile focus of his life’s work – the "RCP8.5" scenario – has recently been targeted as "wrong, wrong, wrong" by Donald Trump.
In an interview with Carbon Brief at his office in The Hague, Van Vuuren cuts a serious, but relaxed figure – despite, momentarily, being caught in the white heat of global media attention following the social-media post by the climate-sceptic US president.
Who is Detlef van Vuuren?
Van Vuuren leads a team of modellers at the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) in The Hague, the Dutch administrative capital. He also holds a professorship at the faculty of geosciences at Utrecht University.
An analysis of Carbon Brief’s Cosmos database reveals that, out of many thousands of researchers, he is the author most cited within all the reports published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) since 1990.
The RCP8.5 Scenario
The RCP8.5 scenario is one of four greenhouse gas concentration scenarios developed by the IPCC to assess the consequences of climate change. It represents a future with high greenhouse gas emissions and is often used as a "business-as-usual" scenario.
However, the RCP8.5 scenario has been criticized by some scientists and politicians, who argue that it is too pessimistic and does not reflect current trends in emission reductions.
Conclusion
Detlef van Vuuren is a renowned climate scientist who has made significant contributions to our understanding of climate change. His work on the RCP8.5 scenario is just one example of his dedication to climate research.
It is essential to note that criticisms of the RCP8.5 scenario do not invalidate the importance of Van Vuuren’s work and the scientific community as a whole. Instead, they highlight the need to continue discussing and improving our climate projections.
References
Source: Carbon Brief