The number that could shift climate action into overdrive

But the new measures are only a first step in a sweeping recalculation, with a final finding to be announced in a year.Scientists argue the US social cost of carbon must be high enough to reflect the full array of climate effects, from near-term pollution to long-term sea level rise.Even the possibility of catastrophic shifts in the climate system such as the irreversible melting of permafrost or ice sheets must be taken into account.Essentially it asks: How much are we willing to pay today to avoid disaster tomorrow?It considers future illness and deaths from heatwaves, small particle pollution, climate-enhanced natural disasters, property damage, reductions in agricultural production, disruption to energy systems , predicted violent conflicts and mass migration.