North Carolina tries to legislate science

North Carolina plans to address its coastal sea level rise by writing a law requiring inaccurate projections.  This would allow current development of its coast line to continue based on a falsely understated estimate of sea rise  projected by climate science.  See North Carolina Wishes Away Climate Change.

Republican leaders not listening to scientists

The Republican party includes climate scientists (i.e., those who are registered Republicans sharing the party's conservative values), many of whom have tried to educate their party's leaders regarding the evidence for human-induced global warming. Since the rise of the Tea Party, climate change skepticism and flat-out denial has become one of the key messages of the GOP and now, no candidate for GOP nomination will admit to the scientific consensus on climate change. Here's an article that tells the stories of five conservative climate scientists who have tried to educate presidential hopefuls or their aides or members of Congress on the growing body of climate research and scientific evidence: GOP Not Listening to Its Own Scientists on Climate Change.

Leaked documents from the climate denial machine

Documents leaked from the Heartland Institute, a nonprofit think tank, show its funding of several leading voices of global warming skepticism and also a plan to teach climate change skepticism in schools. Documents were leaked anonomously to several publications and global warming proponents.  From MSNBC: Leaked: a plan to teach climate change skepticism in schools.

DeSmogBlog says "It is clear from the documents that Heartland advocates against responsible climate mitigation and then uses that advocacy to raise money from oil companies and 'other corporations whose interests are threatened by climate policies.'" See: Heartland Insider Exposes Institute's Budget and Strategy.

Global warming caused mostly by humans

In a new study, as reported by USA Today:

NASA researchers updated calculations of the Earth's energy imbalance, which is the difference between the amount of solar energy absorbed by the Earth's surface and the amount returned to space as heat. They found that despite unusually low solar activity from 2005 to 2010, the planet continued to absorb more energy (half a watt more per square meter) than it returned to space during that time period.

In other words, it's not the sun.

In fact, a growing body of research suggests that humans may be causing more than 100% of global warming, because without human influences on Earth's climate, the planet would actually be cooling.  See What Amount of Global Warming is Human-Caused?

Why is human-induced warming so potentially dangerous? Because when tipping points are reached, warming will accelerate due to feedback effects.  For example, as Arctic ice melts, more solar heat is trapped with less sunlight reflected back into space.  See Climate Change in Arctic could Trigger Domino Effect Around the World.

The difference between politics and science

The Wall Street Journal published a letter refuting anthropogenic climate change signed by 16 scientists who turn out to be engineers, retired meteorologists or scientists from non-related fields. The WSJ's letter was an opinion piece that included major inaccuracies and distortions of the actual science, if not outright lies. The WSJ thinks that by misleading Americans in this manner, it will serve their political stance, but instead it has caused a well-deserved backlash.

In response, 255 members of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences wrote a comparable, but this time scientifically accurate essay on the realities of climate change as well as the need for improved and serious public debate.  This was offered to the Wall Street Journal who rejected it.

On this Forbes writes:

"The National Academy of Sciences is the nation’s pre-eminent independent scientific organization. Its members are among the most respected in the world in their fields. Yet the Journal wouldn’t publish this letter, from more than 15 times as many top scientists. Instead they chose to publish an error-filled and misleading piece on climate because some so-called experts aligned with their bias signed it. This may be good politics for them, but it is bad science and it is bad for the nation."

Above quoted from the Forbes article Remarkable Editorial Bias on Climate Science at the Wall Street Journal.

So the journal Science, a highly regarded scientific journal, published the letter from The National Academy of Science members after the WSJ turned it down.

As the Forbes article states: "Read both, side by side. And understand that every national academy of sciences on the planet agrees with the reality and seriousness of human caused climate change."

• The letter signed by 255 National Academy of Sciences members, from Science magazine.
  
• The letter signed by 16 “scientists” in the Wall Street Journal.

For scientific expertise on climate change, our nation’s leaders should listen to respected sources of credible science rather than political rags like the Wall Street Journal.

Another Republican dismisses climate change

While campaigning, Newt Gingrich says he dropped an essay on climate change from a post-election book about the environment. The essay was written by Katharine Hayhoe, an climate scientist at Texas Tech. Hayhoe recently ca-authored a book about climate change with an evangelical perspective. According to CBS News, in an interview with Christian writer Jonathan Merritt, Hayhoe said: "Among climate scientists--people who spend their lives researching our world--there is no debate regarding the reality of climate change, and the fact that humans are the primary cause," Hayhoe said in the interview. "It is primarily laypeople, such as talk-show hosts, or those with vested interests in maintaining the status quo, who are perpetuating the idea that there is no scientific consensus."

See Gingrich kills chapter on climate change in upcoming book.

Global warming beliefs and attitudes

Recent polling in the US, where climate change scepticism is in vogue by political conservatives, shows an upward trend in the number of people who agree that human activity is causing climate change.

From the publication: Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs and Attitudes in November 2011:

• Public understanding that global warming is happening remained essentially unchanged at 63 percent, while belief that it is caused mostly by human activities increased three points since May 2011, to 50 percent.
• A majority of Americans (57%) now disagree with the statement, “With the economy in such bad shape, the US can’t afford to reduce global warming” – an 8 point increase in disagreement since May 2011.
• 65 percent said that global warming is affecting weather in the United States.
• Majorities said that global warming made the record high temperatures in the US, the drought in Texas and Oklahoma, the Mississippi River floods, the record snowfalls in the US, and Hurricane Irene worse.

See this page from Climate Change Communication.

12% of Republicans think global warming is an issue

Republicans have long viewed global warming as relatively unimportant, but this year, just 12% of Republicans say that it should be a top priority for President Bush and Congress, making it their lowest-ranking issue: Global Warming Falls Still Farther on Republicans' Policy Agenda.

More fool you

In a recent program, Rush Limbaugh apparently spent time elaborating on a non-existent paper in a bogus journal that claimed that the rise in CO2 in our atmosphere stems not from human endeavor, but from benthic bacteria, which is a hoax formulated by Welsh novelist David Thorpe to lure unwary pundits. Goes to show what an idiot Rush Limbaugh is and how he dupes his listeners. Here's an excerpt from an interview by Nature with Thorpe:

Why did you decide to construct the fake website? Was it purely a joke or did you set out to make people taking your paper at face value look foolish?

Thorpe: Its purpose was to expose the credulity and scientific illiteracy of many of the people who call themselves climate sceptics. While dismissive of the work of the great majority of climate scientists, they will believe almost anything if it lends support to their position. Their approach to climate science is the opposite of scepticism.

Are you surprised at the pick up your coverage has generated?

Thorpe: Not really. Equally ridiculous claims - like those in the paper attached to the "Oregon Petition" or David Bellamy's dodgy glacier figures - have been widely circulated and taken up by the ‘sceptic’ community. But you can explain this until you are blue in the face. To get people to sit up and listen, you have to demonstrate it. This is what I set out to do.

How quickly did you expect people to realise that your paper was fake?

Thorpe: In the Age of Google, hoaxes can't last for very long. But it hooked quite a few prominent sceptics before it was exposed. According to the various exposes now circulating online, among others, Rush Limbaugh broadcast it on his programme... Benny Peiser sent it to 2000 people and Ron Bailey wrote it up in glowing terms.

How long did it take to put the site together?

Thorpe: Four days.

What would you say to those who were taken in by your spoof?

Thorpe: More fool you.

From ADAMANT: The Great CO2 Hoax

See also: Fake climate change paper from the Nature blog.

Katrina Report Card

How have Congress and the U.S. Administration responded to the lessons of Katrina and addressed the causes of its tragic aftermath?

Two years after Hurricane Katrina, much has become clear. We know that the devastation in New Orleans and surrounding areas was less a natural than a man-made disaster. Katrina's surge into New Orleans was the direct result of poorly constructed levees, an ill-conceived navigation channel and the destruction of millions of acres of coastal wetlands. Furthermore, the storm's intensity itself was fueled by unusually warm waters in the tropical Atlantic due, in part, to global warming pollution.

From Katrina Report Card at nwf.org.

The truth about denial

A recent Newsweek story: The Truth About Denial discusses who the climate change skeptics are and where their funding came from, as well as the industry-created and supported organizations that lobbied politicians and attacked research by climate-change scientists.

Since the late 1980s, this well-coordinated, well-funded campaign by contrarian scientists, free-market think tanks and industry has created a paralyzing fog of doubt around climate change. Through advertisements, op-eds, lobbying and media attention, greenhouse doubters (they hate being called deniers) argued first that the world is not warming; measurements indicating otherwise are flawed, they said. Then they claimed that any warming is natural, not caused by human activities. Now they contend that the looming warming will be minuscule and harmless. "They patterned what they did after the tobacco industry," says former senator Tim Wirth, who spearheaded environmental issues as an under secretary of State in the Clinton administration. "Both figured, sow enough doubt, call the science uncertain and in dispute. That's had a huge impact on both the public and Congress."

Newsweek then contrasts this information with research and reports from international climate change groups.

Newsweek says: "If you think those who have long challenged the mainstream scientific findings about global warming recognize that the game is over, think again." How right they are since their article has provoked attacks on Newsweek itself as well as the monies that go to scientific research. What a shame that we have to go down the same road traveled in the 70's and 80's when tobacco companies totally denied the health risks of smoking.

New poll shows global warming a top concern; also, responding to the skeptics

A majority of voters in six congressional districts around the U.S. identify global warming as the top environmental problem, and favor immediate measures to reduce carbon emissions. This was from a new poll by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which polled districts from cities including:

• Pittsburgh, PA
• Savannah, GA
• Southern Arkansas, Pine Bluff and El Dorado, AR
• Gulf Coast Louisianna
• Houston, TX
• Salt Lake City, South and Eastern Utah

See Poll: Global Warming Top Environmental Problem.

Responding to Global Warming Skeptics

The Union of Concerned Scientists has identifed a number of organizations who regularly distribute information that denies or obfuscates the evidence and conclusion of the mainstream science on global warming: 6 organizations that spin against global warming.

Global warming an “unnatural disaster” for national parks

The nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) called global warming an "unnatural disaster" for America's national parks, and called on Congress and the Administration to take action now before the centennial of the park system: New Report Labels Global Warming an “Unnatural Disaster” for America's National Parks.

See the NCPA's report: Unnatural Disaster: Global Warming and Our National Parks (pdf).

More action by U.S. states

Florida Governor Charlie Crist opened a 2-day summit on climate change, promising the state will lower CO2 emissions and use more alternative energy.

Efforts by states to address climate change issues will lead to the federal government eventually doing more, predicted John Ashton, a speaker at the summit and a climate change representative from the United Kingdom's Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Governor Crist will be joined duriing this summit by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, another Republican who has lead state action on environmental causes in California. Florida's former governor, Jeb Bush, was criticized for doing little to promote renewable energy: Fla. Gov. Holds Climate Change Summit.

Leading U.S. state and local initiatives

New Jersey became the third state in the nation to enact a comprehensive greenhouse gas reduction law, requiring the Garden State to significantly cut emissions of global-warming gases: NJ Enacts Anti-Global Warming Law.

Hawaii was the second state to pass similar regulation. California passed one in September of last year, rolling back 2020 emissions to 1990. Other states are considering such action. See Hawaii prepared to clean up emissions.

A San Francisco company plans to build the world's largest solar power farm near Fresno, California: World's biggest solar farm planned in California.

Gore Defends Live Earth Concerts (taking place 7-7-07)

Al Gore says Live Earth is a 24-hour, 7-continent series of concerts to center attention on the threat of global warming. Critics have accused Gore of grabbing attention for himself and a possible run at the White House. So far, Al Gore has assertively denied any possibility of running for President. See Gore Defends Live Earth Concerts, Self.

See Live Earth Preps photos from CBS News.

For quick details on where to tune in, see Live Earth event may be confusing, but tuning in at home is a snap.

Do biofuels come with too high a price?

The International Energy Agency forecasts that the world could produce as much as 147 million tons of agro-fuel over the next 23 years. Unfortunately, this may be accompanied by much more carbon and nitrous oxide emissions, erosion and more than two billion tons of waste water. This biofuel will hardly offset yearly increases in global oil demand, currently at 136 million tons a year.

The agri-foods industry pillars, like ADM, Cargill and Bunge, are surrounded by an equally formidable consolidation of agro-chemical, seed and machinery companies on one side and food processors, distributors and supermarket chains on the other. Will the market power of agro-fuel corporations and the rush toward biofuels lead to additional environmental upset and disaster? See The Great Biofuel Hoax.

U.S. mayors lead the fight

Cities around the country have initiated a host of actions aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, without significant support from their state and federal partners, based on a survey released Friday during the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ 75th anniversary meeting in Los Angeles. See U.S. Mayors Take the Lead in Fighting Climate Change.

Pittsburgh’s recent selection as an inaugural Solar America City by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will be a topic of conversation at the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) as global warming and climate protection are high on the convention’s agenda.

Pittsburgh was chosen, along with 12 other cities, for its commitment to promote solar energy throughout the city, involving local government officials, utilities and private partners. The Solar America Cities will receive a combined $2.5 million in federal financial assistance.

Setback for clean water act

From EPA issues new guidance under Clean Water Act:

WASHINGTON - The Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers has drafted new guidelines under the Clean Water Act, which will see large water bodies capable of supporting boats protected from water pollution. However small streams will not fall under the purview of this act, meaning that wetlands adjoining such streams may very well be compromised.

Environmentalists are enraged at this development and say many small wetlands could be endangered.

Read more>>

U.S. scales back climate satellites

U.S. scientists may lose their ability to monitor warming from space using aging satellites that will not be replaced - climate instruments needed to collect more precise data over long periods are being eliminated. President Bush says the U.S. is ready to lead the world in reducing greenhouse gases, but NOAA and NASA scientists say that loss of satellites "places the overall climate program in serious jeopardy..." See U.S. Scales Back Climate Satellites.