upcoming report from Nature
This is an interesting article from the Independent about an upcoming Nature article, making a strong case for anthropogenic climate change causing the increased rainfall in the UK that has led to the rather large floods.
S’pose it ‘ll keep the wingnuts and deniers busy for a day or two…
Bookmark to:
July 24th, 2007 at 8:31 am
Debating over global warming
On March 15th, 2007 a two sided debate sponsored by Intelligence Squared was held in New York City, with the proposition “Global warming is not a crisis?”, on the “for” side were Richard Lindzen, Philip Stott, Michael Crichton, and on the “against” side Gavin Schmidt, Brenda Ekwurzel, Richard C.J. Somerville in front of a live audience.[137]
Polls conducted at the beginning of the debate had shown that 30% of the audience agreed with the motion that “Global warming is not a crisis” and 57% disagreed, but after the nearly two hours of being presented arguments by both sides that number flipped to 46% agreeing and 42% disagreeing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming_controversy#Debating_over_ global_warming
Interesting how peoples minds can be changed on issues. Facts are good but facts can be made to look like theories which can be made to look like (eg) phlogiston theory, or ” miasma theory of disease [22], which held that diseases such as cholera were caused by “bad air”.
We will know we have made progress when there is a media campaign against wasteful use of motor vehicles.
jh
July 24th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Great minds think alike…
The Nature embargo is now lifted, and New Scientist and the BBC are covering the new paper.
July 24th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
It’s always dangerous pointing to events like this and saying ‘climate change in action’ when the rainfall is not at record levels and nor is the flooding.
The big difference may in fact be human induced environment change, ie development of land and drainage systems has intensified the experience of the flood rather than the weather conditions that led to it being outside those experienced before climate change was dreamt of.
July 24th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
“anthropogenic climate change ”
fwwog does this mean climate change caused by people,
i notice you donts say climate warming,
cold isn’t it,
July 24th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
Furthermore, to ask the question if an individual weather event is “caused” by climate change is almost meaningless. For example, the climate could be becoming drier, and yet there could still be heavy rainfall events. You really need to look at extended periods of weather data to be able to say if the climate is changing or not.
July 24th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
You crack me up PQ. lol
July 24th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
i notice you donts say climate warming,
cold isn’t it,
Actually it has been acknowledged in scientific circles for some time that “climate change” is a better description than “global warming”, because although the average global temperature is increasing overall, the localised effects of the changes in weather patterns caused by this warming could mean that some parts of the world become colder, at least in the short term.
July 24th, 2007 at 6:26 pm
I noticed that when in the old days we defrosted the fridge, as soon as you switched it off and opened the door you felt cold air [not sure if that means anything or not
]
jh
July 24th, 2007 at 6:31 pm
I suppose if it makes the victims of flooding feel better to think it is global warming or an act of god it serves some sort of purpose. In reality it has much more to do with deforestation, land utilisation and a burgeoning population in harms way. Climate cahange is only a very small part of the the problems being caused by human overpopulation and it detracts from the real issues to always blame it. Climate change is happening over the decade time scale and one bad winter is no more attributable to it than 5 dry springs. We need to agree that the future of the planet and mankind is down to multiple factors and stop tryiing to find “the” cause of our problems. Considering that overpopulation war and pestilence will get us before global warming ever does I think a mind change is quite urgent.
July 24th, 2007 at 8:00 pm
The key point is not whether the UK’s floods of 2007 are worse than those of 1947, but to look at the stats for evidence of an increase in intensity of rainfall. It is one of the more robust predictions of climate change that a warmer world will bring more intense rainfall, and there are signs that it is happening. More here. [Unashamed plug, sorry - but this is as important a signal of climate change as melting ice.]