7 through 2010. No methodological changes were made, with the exception that we adopted the IPCC global warming potential of methane to 28 times CO2 (100-year time horizon) per IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report (the previous value was 21xCO2).13 Q14: Could you please briefly describe the key findings of “The climate responsibilities of industrial carbon producer,” a paper you co-authored? A14: This paper, with my colleagues Peter Frumhoff (Union of Concerned Scientists) and Naomi Oreskes (Harvard University), shifts the principle established in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change of “common but differentiated responsibilities” from consuming and emitting nations, particularly the wealthy Annex 1 countries whose development caused the preponderance of historical emissions, to the corporations that produced the carbon fuels for global consumers. We discussed the distinctive responsibilities of the major investor-owned producers of fossil fuels, assessed the actions these companies took and could have taken to act on the scientific evidence of climate change. We argued that major investorowned fossil energy companies carry significant responsibility for climate change, and discussed how these companies have an obligation to effectively help avoid the worst of the prospective climate damages we now face. Companies must: 1) unequivocally communicate to the public, shareholders, and policymakers the climate risks resulting from continued use of their products, and therefore the need for restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions consistent with the 2°C global temperature target; 2) firmly reject contrary claims by industry trade associations and lobbying groups; and, 3) accelerate their transition to the production of low-carbon energy. Q15: How was your group able to arrive at these findings, or what methods were used? A15: We analyzed the contributions and commensurate responsibilities of major carbon producers and in view their public communications about known threat of their products to climate stability, and found their non-disclosure reprehensible in light of the global consequences of business-as-usual and, for that matter, given the outright efforts to sow doubt about climate science and policy action. We made specific recommendations on how companies could correct their historical inaction, obfuscation, deception, and denial. Q16: In your professional opinion, why do you believe that carbon producers, as opposed to individuals, are responsible for climate change and be held accountable for the costs of climate change? A16: Carbon producers make the decisions to increase production and distribution of carbon fuels with the knowledge – scientifically indisputable for decades — that their products contribute to climate change and climate damages. The producers make the decisions to invest capital to increase production, bring new projects on line, discover and develop new reserves, bid for leases, and develop the entire supply chain to assure uninterrupted consumption of carbon fuels. Many investor-owned companies lobby for subsidies, new or expanded leases, helpful government policies, tax benefits, pollution permits, deregulation, infrastructure (rail and port facilities) permits, lax 13 Myhre, G., et al. 2013: Anthropogenic and Natural Radiative Forcing. In: Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Cambridge University Press.