Chapter 7 - The CUTx Index

Chapter Summary

The central chapter in the book. If the rest of the book is about climate literacy, this chapter is about climate numeracy. These are the vital statistics for human civilisation.

The CUTx Index is an authoritative set of numbers, supported for communication by the world’s most eminent climate scientists, it maps out, in the clearest numerical terms, just how close we are to planetary boundaries. These numbers are critical for students to use in all their events and publications. 

The UN only speaks about global problems and global numbers, which masks the fact that the world’s richest nations are both historically and currently responsible for the overwhelming majority of the emissions. The CUTx Index is based on the simple idea that the remaining carbon budget has to be divided per capita. It seems to be basic common sense, and a basic issue of human rights that we all have an equal right to the atmosphere.

Once the remaining carbon budget is divided fairly like this, then all kinds of misinformation and fake news about the climate crisis are exposed. Indeed, there is so much misinformation about climate change out there, the CUTx provides remarkable clarity and transparency.

It is absurd that none of the current climate pledges by nations (known as NDCs) have anything to do with the carbon budget. The EU has promised to cut emissions by 55% by 2030 based on 1990 levels, and other nations have commitments to get to net zero by a certain date.... but these have nothing to do with the scientific reality of our situation, and none of these commitments can be reliably compared against each other.