David Moulton with Dr. John Holdren, science advisor to President Obama in Copenhagen.
Today Rajendra Pachauri, leader of the Nobel-prize winning UN climate science process, spoke in Copenhagen with confidence in the bedrock of science on which our understanding of global warming rests.
Meanwhile the opposition continues to try to squeeze the last few drops of doubt out of a few email lemons stolen from East Anglia University.
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Here's an irony: One of the calmest, fact-oriented and informative assessments of the state of climate science appeared a week ago in the Wall Street Journal. Although news editor Michael Totty pitches it as a "he said/she said" ("Arguments the skeptics make and how believers respond") it is in fact all a reasonable non-scientist needs to know about the disturbing trend of global warming and the urgent need to reduce the global emissions that are forcing the planet into uncharted and dangerous territory. It deserves more attention than it is getting.
Is there a scientific consensus about global warming? "Climate-gate" might lead one to think not. But Totty notes that in a recent survey of more than 3000 earth scientists, 82 percent agreed that human activity is a 'significant contributing factor" in changing global temperatures, and that 75 of the 77 climate scientists who actively publish in the field , about 97 percent agreed with the statement.
Totty considers each of the salient skeptic sorties against this consensus, stating the pros and cons. Heard this one? "2008 was the coldest in ten years - there is no global warming." Totty reminds that this "cold" year was the 11th warmest year on record. 2009 is warmer still. The decade was the hottest ten-year span on record, and the long-term temperature trend since the mid-70s is up.
Heard this one? "Global warming is actually just the result of scientists taking readings from urban locations that are subject to the 'urban heat island effect'." Totty notes that models are actually adjusted for the heat island effect, the trend is up after the adjustment, and is supported by independent measurements of warming oceans, disappearing glaciers and permafrost, a shrinking Arctic ice cap, and the shifting ranges of plants and animals out of their historic ranges.
Here in Copenhagen the story remains what the world will do this week to confront the reality of man-made climate change. But the public needs a reminder of why so many world leaders have gathered in one place to hash out the details of reducing global warming emissions. Print Totty's article out, share it, invite discussion of why confidence in the science of global warming is so high right now despite the East Anglian email scandal.
Photo: David Moulton, Climate Policy Director at The Wilderness Society, with Dr. John Holdren, science advisor to President Obama in Copenhagen.
This article also appears on the National Journal's Copenhagen Insider blog.
About David Moulton
David Moulton joined The Wilderness Society in 2008 as its first Director of Climate Change Policy. In 2007 he served as the Staff Director and Chief Counsel of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming in the U.S. House of... More about David Moulton
Legacy Comments
There is clearly no more
There is clearly no more doubt nowadays about the global warming and nothing is done... What are our politicians waiting for ? the real end of the world ??
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Re:global warming
Good post, as one said there was global warming at the time of the dinosaurs. Then the average temperature on the north pole was 74 degrees F. Well there is global warming again now. This comes from the planets getting closer to the sun. We need to act quickly for our future generation. Otherwise this is the killer for future without a doubt.
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Climategate / AGW
I don't think anyone can deny there has been some regional warming. The question is how serious is this and what is the cause. Anthropogenic Global Warming has turned into a faith or religion and as with all religions, any evidence that this faith is unfounded is met with extreme resistance. Exactly what are we to do when the planet cools a little again as it did during the Little Ice Age a short while ago - release massive amounts of greenhouse gasses to counter the cooling? CO2 is the problem, this is what we have to fear - reduce this poison and everthing is going to be OK because you have such a limited understanding of the problems facing the world and society today. Why are you getting caught up in the speculative problem of AGW when there are real problems and very tangible suffering all around us. Where are your priorities man - 17,000 children died today from hunger. How many countless millions of people without adequate healthcare, shelter or ready access to clean water. A four year old scavaging mountains of trash for something to eat or sell on the side of the road can rest comfortably tonight in a makeshift hut knowing you and fellow alarmists have got his back. You want to save the planet - try saving a few children first.
global warming
There was global warming at the time of the dinosaurs. Then the average temperature on the north pole was 74 degrees F. Well there is global warming again now. This comes from the planets getting closer to the sun.
Now if we have too much CO2 and no oxygen we won't be able to keep living, unless we can adapt to breathing in the CO2 and exhailing the oxygen like trees do. But if we keep breathing in the oxygen and needing the oxygen to survive, well unless we can save the forests to keep making oxygen available we'll go extinct. The temperature on this planet will probably still rise regardless of how well we clean up the atmosphere, and regardless of whether or not we go extinct. The pollution may effect the global warming like 1%, but I doubt any more than that. We had the ice age. What did that come from? Not enough pollution?
Climate Change
While there needs to be something done about the climate change more investigation into these emails is important. We are talking changing the lives of many, some are talking killing off people when they get older because they are breathing too much. These are the types of things that need to be rectified. This whole thing has turned into an "us against them" battle. It all seems rather ridiculous. casino en ligne
Global Warming vs Climate Change vs Humanity
It's irrefutable that the Earth's climate is not stable. But proving or disproving that the current trend will lead to warming or cooling, or that the main cause is man made, in the venue of public opinion, is a fool's errand. There are far easier reasons to present to the public, that are more tangible to everyday Joe and Jane Public, infavor of cleaning up the environment. This trend among so-called conservationists (more like preservationists) for global warming and now in favor of economically detrimental cap-and-trade schemes, is in my opinion misguided and dangerous to the overall cause of environmental stewardship. Not to mention, I'm curious as he'll why the Wilderness Society is stepping out on this limb.