A critical analysis of the 2014 IPCC report on capital cost of mitigation and of renewable energy

The Report by the IPCC Working Group 3 on mitigation has been widely reported as showing that a 430 – 480ppm emissions target can be achieved at a low investment cost in relation to GDP. However there are several reasons why the Report cannot be regarded as having established these claims, mainly to do with the very few sources referred to on the crucial cost issues, the problems evident in those sources, and difficulties encountered when investment sums allocated to various sectors are examined. An exploration of the possible investment required by the renewable energy sector indicates that the costs associated with achieving desired emissions targets would be very high. This strengthens the case that effective policies for dealing with climate and other global problems cannot be achieved unless there is transition from consumer societies committed to affluence and growth. •The logic and structure of the Report re clarified.•Only five pages in Chapter 16 deal with renewable system cost estimates.•The core conclusions are based on only about three references.•These studies are open to fundamental criticism.•An alternative approach indicates higher system costs than the Report claims.