Global warming deniers beware: New Scientist debunks all
As surprising as it will likely seem, I, in fact, don’t know everything about global warming. Of course, I couldn’t tell you how a fax machine works, either, but I also believe in their existence.
So on occasion when people give me goofball alternative ideas to global warming, I’m not intellectually equipped to give the solid, conversation-ending rebuke I so desire. So I’m forced with calling them a “moron” which is in its own way satisfying, but generally regarded as not intellectual.
Luckily for me, New Scientist Environment has come through with everything I need to know with “Climate change: A guide for the perplexed”.
“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,” writes Michael Le Page, who impressively put it all together. “So for those who are not sure what to believe, here is our round-up of the 26 most common climate myths and misconceptions.”
Here are a couple to get you started:
“They predicted global cooling in the 1970s”
Yes they did. But it was a highly debated position in the science community and eventually the main proponent of the concept of global cooling admitted he wasn’t sure what the future would bring.
The calls for action to prevent further human-induced global warming, by contrast, are based on an enormous body of research by thousands of scientists over more than a century that has been subjected to intense – and sometimes ferocious – scrutiny. According to the latest IPCC report, it is more than 90% certain that the world is already warming as a result of human activity.
“Many leading scientists question climate change”
No. They don’t. They just don’t. The most you’ll get is disagreement of the future consequences of global warming. There’s just too much evidence, and the “scientists” you do see coming out against it generally have an agenda.
Climate change skeptics sometimes claim that many leading scientists question climate change. Well, it all depends on what you mean by “many” and “leading”. For instance, in April 2006, 60 “leading scientists” signed a letter urging Canada’s new prime minister to review his country’s commitment to the Kyoto protocol.
This appears to be the biggest recent list of skeptics. Yet many, if not most, of the 60 signatories are not actively engaged in studying climate change: some are not scientists at all and at least 15 are retired.
Compare that with the dozens of statements on climate change from various scientific organisations around the world representing tens of thousands of scientists, the consensus position represented by the IPCC reports and the 11,000 signatories to a petition condemning the Bush.
Check out New Scientist’s entire list of 26 climate myths. It’s great reading and will give you some valuable information when faced with those who will tritely try and use mythical reasoning to debunk climate change. Then afterward, ask them how a fax machine works, just for the heck of it.
–WKW
Crossposted at Shakesville