The New U.N. Climate Report Has Arrived. Don't Panic.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a behemoth report on our warming world—something it has done routinely for three decades. Though the findings have evolved considerably over the years, the news cycle is always strikingly similar: World leaders offer bombastic soundbites, and headlines warn of impending doom. In turn, many people will interpret this report as a stark warning that humans are joy-riding down the highway to hell.

As a climate scientist of two decades, I do not share this view. Certainly, there is cause for deep concern. Today’s report...