Debunking the skeptics- A scientific guide to climate change

[LG]

Climate change: A guide for the perplexed

17:00 16 May 2007
NewScientist.com news service
Michael Le Page

Our planet's climate is anything but simple. All kinds of factors influence it, from massive events on the Sun to the growth of microscopic creatures in the oceans, and there are subtle interactions between many of these factors.

Yet despite all the complexities, a firm and ever-growing body of evidence points to a clear picture: the world is warming, this warming is due to human activity increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and if emissions continue unabated the warming will too, with increasingly serious consequences.

Yes, there are still big uncertainties in some predictions, but these swing both ways. For example, the response of clouds could slow the warming or speed it up.

With so much at stake, it is right that climate science is subjected to the most intense scrutiny. What does not help is for the real issues to be muddied by discredited arguments or wild theories.

So for those who are not sure what to believe, here is our round-up of the 26 most common climate myths and misconceptions.

There is also a guide to assessing the evidence. In the articles we've included lots of links to primary research and major reports for those who want to follow through to the original sources.

The myths:
• Human CO2 emissions are too tiny to matter
• We can't do anything about climate change
• The 'hockey stick' graph has been proven wrong
• Chaotic systems are not predictable
• We can't trust computer models of climate
• They predicted global cooling in the 1970s
• It's been far warmer in the past, what's the big deal?
• It's too cold where I live - warming will be great
• Global warming is down to the Sun, not humans
• It’s all down to cosmic rays
• CO2 isn't the most important greenhouse gas
• The lower atmosphere is cooling, not warming
• Antarctica is getting cooler, not warmer, disproving global warming
• The oceans are cooling
• The cooling after 1940 shows CO2 does not cause warming
• It was warmer during the Medieval period, with vineyards in England
• We are simply recovering from the Little Ice Age
• Warming will cause an ice age in Europe
• Ice cores show CO2 increases lag behind temperature rises, disproving the link to global warming
• Ice cores show CO2 rising as temperatures fell
• Mars and Pluto are warming too
• Many leading scientists question climate change
• It's all a conspiracy
• Hurricane Katrina was caused by global warming
• Higher CO2 levels will boost plant growth and food production
• Polar bear numbers are increasing

http://environment.newscientist.com/.../earth/dn11462

[LG]

Interesting how the neocon contingent has been less than vocal in this thread, seeing as the documents I've linked to more or less put your theories to waste.

[Nalos6]

You know, I'm not even pretty sure any more that climate change is just due to the human activity. Not only is earth going through this drastic climate shift, but so is Mars, Neptune, Jupiter, and a number of other planets in our solar system (this is fact). We have to also realize that we've only been monitoring this planets activity for a short number of centuries, and core samples just aren't as reliable as recording data live, in present state.

We have better recorded data on the sun, than anything else in the galaxy, and I will tell you the sun has gone FUBAR'd the last few decades, and its only advancing at an ever increasing rate. Before we go screaming and shouting about what we have to do, we need to take our time and efforts away from war and put it into the space, health, and the well being of our planet, to figure out the real culprit of this horrendous climate change.

[White_Male_Canada]

Interesting how the neocon contingent has been less than vocal in this thread, seeing as the documents I've linked to more or less put your theories to waste.

Yeah right. 2007 IPCC report:

Based on a range of models, it is likely that future tropical cyclones (typhoons and hurricanes) will become more intense, with larger peak wind speeds and more heavy precipitation associated with ongoing increases of ropical SSTs.



Take polar bears for example. They are not drowning. I know, I live here. In fact, Nunavut studies polar bear numbers very intently.

I`ll touch on weather.The left has poured on the propaganda in regards to weather and there is no denying it, although now the left-wing political scientists are telling their mouthpieces to pipe down on the overblown hot-air rhetoric:

1996, Newsweek "Blizzards, Floods and Hurri-canes: Blame Global Warming."

I could contintue but I suggest you read my posts on the hype of AGW.

[guyone]

Well LG what's the answer? I'm not a neocon, but I am a right wing nut job. I rarely drive my car instead I use public transportation or (God forbid) just walk.

Without providing answers the left is rapidly becoming the modern proclaimers of doom except having eviscerated religion out of their ethos the only recourse they offer is simply to die.

[LG]

Well LG what's the answer? I'm not a neocon, but I am a right wing nut job. I rarely drive my car instead I use public transportation or (God forbid) just walk.

Without providing answers the left is rapidly becoming the modern proclaimers of doom except having eviscerated religion out of their ethos the only recourse they offer is simply to die.

I disagree with your opinion, guyone, but applaud the fact that you're doing your bit to help.

The science is pretty much there and you can read it. The New Scientist is a very well respected but readable magazine (ie. it bases it's articles on actual science but it's not as boring as Nature and can be read by intelligent and interested non-scientists easily).

The alternative is not to die. The alternative is to adapt and improve. If we do not then, yes, maybe there will be few alternatives at some point.

Those rightwingers who question climate scientists should also question whether their opposition is driven by observations and intelligence or by politics and the urge to oppose any policy that might hurt their pockets.

[guyone]

LG the problem lies within ourselves. As long as we blame others for the lack of progress then we conveniently have an out without accomplishing anything. People are too frightened of change no matter what their political persuasion they would rather have a whipping boy to blame all their problems on than do anything about an unpleasant situation.

Whether global warming exists or not I still hate standing next to an poorly tuned truck engine spewing out all sorts of crap. If we can't stop that from happening the rest of the issue is simply banter.

[LG]

LG the problem lies within ourselves. As long as we blame others for the lack of progress then we conveniently have an out without accomplishing anything. People are too frightened of change no matter what their political persuasion they would rather have a whipping boy to blame all their problems on than do anything about an unpleasant situation.

Whether global warming exists or not I still hate standing next to an poorly tuned truck engine spewing out all sorts of crap. If we can't stop that from happening the rest of the issue is simply banter.

I agree that the problem is partly ours to solve. But no matter how well tuned your car is, guyone, no matter what mileage it does, no matter how much you save water, at the end of the day the big decisions are made by the governments of the world.

And again, the problem is ours to solve. We voted for them. You can write to your congressman or senator, you can write to your mayor or governor, you can support non-governmental pressure groups that work for the environment, you can get out there and talk to people.

So yeas, the problem is ours to solve. But first we have to accept we might have a problem. This goes for any issue you care to mention- climate change, nature conservation, human rights, equal opportunities, education and more.

We can do it together.

[guyone]

OK so I'll meet you on the corner at eight and we'll get started.

[LG]

Bump!

Because this thread is worth reading, for two reasons.

Firstly, the first post reveals where one can read about the science behind the debate. Secondly the next posts show that two people with totally different political outlooks can actually discuss things in a civil manner.