Learn English – “if we are to” VS “if we were to”

subjunctives

  1. If we are to meet the Paris climate goals, the use of fossil-based materials must be quickly reduced and replaced with renewable materials.
  2. If we were to meet the Paris climate goals, the use of fossil-based materials must be quickly reduced and replaced with renewable materials.

I have seen usage of both "if we are to" and "if we were to", and I am not sure which is correct. Since it is a subjunctive mood, I thought past tense may be a better on.

Where am I wrong?

Best Answer

Your two sentences have different meanings.

If we are to meet the Paris climate goals, the use of fossil-based materials must be quickly reduced and replaced with renewable materials.

This means the following:

In order to meet the Paris climate goals, the use of fossil-based material will have to be quickly reduced and replaced with renewable materials.

In other words, to accomplish that goal those actions must be taken.

This is the same things as:

If I am to make it to work on time, I must leave the house now.


I need to rephrase your second sentence slightly, because its current form doesn't work with the subjunctive:

If we were to meet the Paris climate goals, the use of fossil-based materials would be quickly reduced and replaced with renewable materials.

This means the following:

Should the Paris climate goals be met, it would result in the use of fossil-based materials being quickly reduced and replaced with renewable materials.

Unlike the first sentence, the second half of this sentence isn't spelling out actions that must be taken to accomplish the goal. Instead, it's spelling out the results of the goal should it be met. The actions required to meet it are not being stated.

This is the same thing as:

If I were to stay at home, I would be late to work.

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