Tag Archives: climate change

I’m not saying the anchors on FOX News are scientifically illiterate, but…

Posted on by
11

… it’s an easy judgement to make when you see them asking monumentally stupid questions like: Does the discovery of volcanism on the moon in some way disprove climate change on the Earth?

Seriously, check it:

You can see by his expression that Bill Nye (The Science Guy) may have had a minor stroke that took off a couple of IQ points just from being asked such a stunningly stupid question. How can they expect to have a serious discussion about something as important as whether or not climate change is real when it’s obvious that they don’t have a clue what climate change actually is?

It would be absolutely hysterical if they weren’t so effective in spreading their stupidity to their fans.

Found over at Media Matters for America.

Another survey shows a consensus that global climate change is happening.

Posted on by
23

The oft-repeated lie is that there is no consensus that global climate change is real, but when you ask the scientists who should know the consensus is clear:

A group of 3,146 earth scientists surveyed around the world overwhelmingly agree that in the past 200-plus years, mean global temperatures have been rising, and that human activity is a significant contributing factor in changing mean global temperatures.

Peter Doran, University of Illinois at Chicago associate professor of earth and environmental sciences, along with former graduate student Maggie Kendall Zimmerman, conducted the survey late last year.

[…] In trying to overcome criticism of earlier attempts to gauge the view of earth scientists on global warming and the human impact factor, Doran and Kendall Zimmerman sought the opinion of the most complete list of earth scientists they could find, contacting more than 10,200 experts around the world listed in the 2007 edition of the American Geological Institute’s Directory of Geoscience Departments.

[…] Two questions were key: have mean global temperatures risen compared to pre-1800s levels, and has human activity been a significant factor in changing mean global temperatures.

About 90 percent of the scientists agreed with the first question and 82 percent the second.

In analyzing responses by sub-groups, Doran found that climatologists who are active in research showed the strongest consensus on the causes of global warming, with 97 percent agreeing humans play a role. Petroleum geologists and meteorologists were among the biggest doubters, with only 47 and 64 percent respectively believing in human involvement. Doran compared their responses to a recent poll showing only 58 percent of the public thinks human activity contributes to global warming.

My cynical side points out the fact that the climatologists think it is happening while the petroleum geologists don’t ties neatly in with the argument that both are biased in favor of whatever supports their field of study. That makes it doubtful this will settle any arguments, but it’s still worth noting that there is a consensus.

New report says Bush Administration guilty of science manipulation.

Posted on by
24

Congress Committee Releases In-Depth Report on White House Climate Science Manipulation :

“The evidence before the Committee leads to one inescapable conclusion: the Bush Administration has engaged in a systematic effort to manipulate climate change science and mislead policymakers and the public about the dangers of global warming.”

So tell us something we don’t already know.

Here are some of the key findings in the report:

  • The White House exerted unusual control over the public statements of federal scientists on climate change issues.
  • The Administration’s Censorship of Climate Scientists was Widespread – 150 federal climate scientists from eight federal agencies personally experienced at least one incident of political interference during the past five years.
  • The White House systematically minimized the significance of climate change by editing government climate change reports.
  • The White House Edited EPA’s [Environmental Protection Agency] Report on the Environment.
  • The White House Eliminated the Climate Change Section of EPA’s Air Trends Report.
  • The White House was Involved in Editing EPA’s Legal Opinions.

So what does the White House have to say about this report? According to today’s press briefing:

Q Did the White House ever asked employees at agencies like NOAA to suppress climate change information and science?

MS. PERINO: Not that I’m aware and I do not believe that is true.

There may be a small kernel of truth to that claim. It’s not so much that the White House directly requested changes or suppression of facts so much as it is that they appointed unqualified Bush lackies loyalists to oversight positions where they could act on the White House’s behalf. The Bush Administration never had to ask for stuff to be suppressed because the appointees were in place to insure that the request never need be made. So while it’s technically true it’s only in the most literal interpretation of the question.

The full report can be read here in PDF format.