Alert: Planned Site Outage Tonight: Tue. July 28th, 9pm-Midnight PST
my care2
make a difference

community

shares

share your passions, stories, inspirations, and more

Jan 24, 2008

"I've made up my mind. Don't confuse me with the facts." Steven Milloy says that this is the mantra of "global warming fanatics." I say it's the mantra of fanatic global warming deniers. Let's examine Milloy's "Top 10 Climate Myth-Busters for 2007" and see, shall we? I busted Milloy's first five myth-busters back in December; will the next five hold up better?
  1. The multiplication of straw men. Milloy cites the discovery that "brown clouds" (aerosols) in the atmosphere are a warming factor, instead of a cooling factor as previously supposed, to be somehow a reason for dismissing all concern about global warming. He represents climate scientists as having portrayed CO2 as the one culprit in all global warming, and since it isn't, the scientists don't know what they are talking about, at all at all.

    #1: No, climate scientists do not claim that CO2 is the one & only man-made influence on global climate change.
    #2: Learning you were wrong about something is not evidence that you don't know your science; it is evidence that you are doing real science.

    For all those interested in real science:
  2. Milloy claims that global temperatures are not rising as fast as global CO2 levels, therefore the two are not after all connected. From Wikipedia: "None of the effects of forcing are instantaneous. The thermal inertia of the Earth's oceans and slow responses of other indirect effects mean that the Earth's current climate is not in equilibrium with the forcing imposed." source is a pdf.

  3. Milloy cites research published in "April" (it was published in December 2005) indicating that while planting more forest in the tropics could lessen global warming, planting more forest in Northern latitudes could increase it. From here, he jumps to "so maybe Northern forests are causing all the global warming." Read what the research actually says. Oh, and he missed one in 2001.

  4. 55 million years ago, warming preceded release of CO2. That's probably what's going on now.What does the lag of CO2 behind temperature in ice cores tell us about global warming? This was addressed on RealClimate in 2004:

  5. In #10, Milloy gives up citing science and just cites the EPA directly. And we all know that George Bush's EPA is completely objective on the science of climate change.
Milloy cannot end the year without crowing that a British judge gave the movie An Inconvenient Truth a "spanking." What the judge really ruled was that An Inconvenient Truth is "broadly accurate" and "substantially founded upon scientific research and fact" and that it can be shown in schools as long as students are informed of nine "errors and omissions" -- none of which invalidate the major premises of the movie.

Unhappily for Mr. Milloy et. al. Justice Barton declared that "These propositions, [which the government] submits (and I accept), are supported by a vast quantity of research published in peer-reviewed journals worldwide and by the great majority of the world's climate scientists."
  1. global average temperatures have been rising significantly over the past half century and are likely to continue to rise ("climate change");

  2. climate change is mainly attributable to man-made emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide ("greenhouse gases");

  3. climate change will, if unchecked, have significant adverse effects on the world and its populations; and

  4. there are measures which individuals and governments can take which will help to reduce climate change or mitigate its effects.

Even the Judge's list of nine 'errors' is in dispute.
  • Judge Barton claimed there was no evidence of any Pacific atolls being evacuated. Nobody showed him the newspaper.
  • Judge Barton disputed that "coral reefs were bleaching because of global warming and other factors." The Judge pointed out: "The actual scientific view, as recorded in the IPCC report, is that, if the temperature were to rise by 1-3 degrees Centigrade, there would be increased coral bleaching and widespread coral mortality, unless corals could adopt or acclimatise, but that separating the impacts of climate change-related stresses from other stresses, such as over-fishing and polluting, is difficult." The bottom line is:
    • The Judge does not dispute the IPCC report or the general scientific consensus about global warming.
    • The impacts on the coral cited by the IPCC are man-made.
    • Global climate changes that have a disastrous effect on human lives and societies are happening.

We need to address questions like "how do we provide clean drinking water after the glaciers melt" and "how do we support communities whose land is washing out from under them." Those problems aren't going to go away no matter how much junk science the Denial Brigade piles up to prove It's Not Really Happening.

Imported from external blog


Visibility: Everyone
Posted: Thursday January 24, 2008, 12:49 pm
Tags: science globalwarming climatechange Pseudoscience [add/edit tags]

Group Discussions start a discussion
Comments
Or, log in with your
Facebook account:
Compose your comment and submit:




Author

Anitra Freeman
Author Tools:
Compose New Share
female, age 60, married, 2 children
Seattle, WA, USA
ANITRA'S SHARES
Feb
1
(0 comments  |  discussions )
I am demonstrating blogging to a workshop student.
Oct
16
(0 comments  |  discussions )
Eight of the Seattle Raging Grannies (including me) visited Nickelsville today and sang for the Nickelodeons. Some of them sang along with us. I forgot to take my camera! So I can't post a photo of today. In substitute, here's a photo of Seattle ...
(0 comments  |  discussions )
Eight of the Seattle Raging Grannies (including me) visited Nickelsville today and sang for the Nickelodeons. Some of them sang along with us. I forgot to take my camera! So I can't post a photo of today. In substitute, here's a photo of Seattle ...
(0 comments  |  discussions )
Eight of the Seattle Raging Grannies (including me) visited Nickelsville today and sang for the Nickelodeons. Some of them sang along with us. I forgot to take my camera! So I can't post a photo of today. In substitute, here's a photo of Seattle ...


SHARES FROM ANITRA'S NETWORK
Nov
1
(0 comments  |  discussions )
One says he's positive there are other innocent men still behind bars.By Rob Hoy Wednesday, October 14, 2009About 50 Oklahoma City University Law students heard from three men who were wrongfully convicted of crimes.Dennis Fritz was one of the speake...
Oct
25
(0 comments  |  discussions )
In 1982, 21-year-old Debra Sue Carter was brutally murdered in the small town of Ada, Okla.In 1988, former Lee’s Summit resident Dennis Fritz and his acquaintance Ron Williamson were charged and convicted of the murder. Fritz was se...
Oct
24
(0 comments  |  discussions )
May ALL your wishes come true and may ALL your fears and thoughts of darkness vanish into thin air!
Sep
1
(0 comments  |  discussions )
Over 300 Supporters Attend MAIP 2nd Annual Awards LuncheonSeven exonerees of wrongful convictions and a best-selling legal writer were among the speakers July 15 at the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project’ ;s Second Annual Awards Luncheon....
Aug
29
(0 comments  |  discussions )
Hello everyone! I am very sorry about the picture Icon;  my friend changed it and it was supposed to be an angel.  I don't know how to change it and my friend never get up before 11:00 and more???   so I don't want to get banned ...


MORE MEMBER BLOGS
Nov 9
Blog: comprar r4 by Rousey R.
(0 comments  |  discussions ) — http://www.r4-ds.es/promo - Los mejores juegos de rol se determinan sobre la base de los avances en el juego durante un periodo, la variedad en el juego, y la recompensa. Adelanto en un juego de RPG puede ser visto ya sea en forma mecánica o es... more
Blog: cartucho r4 by Rousey R.
(0 comments  |  discussions ) — http://www.r4-ds.es/tarje ta-r4/nintendo_dsi/r4i - Hemos aprendido a ser más tolerante y la comprensión de las necesidades del otro. Nos preocupamos por la gente que nos rodea. Hay otros beneficios de jugar a los juegos deportivos en los ... more
Blog: r4 for ds by Rousey R.
(0 comments  |  discussions ) — http://www.r4-ds.es/r4-r4 i/ - El sitio oficial para el mundo de mayor venta de sistema de juego portátil. Tienda en línea de vídeo juegos. España líder en la computadora y los videojuegos minorista, especializado en ... more
Blog: r4 sdhc by Rousey R.
(0 comments  |  discussions ) — http://www.r4-ds.es/r4 - Todos han jugado los juegos de deporte en nuestras vidas. Algunos de nosotros hemos disfrutado de jugar a estos juegos deportivos en los parques de las zonas residenciales, mientras que otros han jugado en las calles alrededor... more
Blog: Brothel and Escort Directory - Just For Adults by Matt S.
(0 comments  |  0 discussions ) — Just For Adults is Australia’s leading Brothel & Escort directory. Select from hundreds of escorts, read reviews, make informed choices, have the best adult experience available. Enjoy.http://www.justfora dults.com.au/ more
 
Content and comments expressed here are the opinions of Care2 users and not necessarily that of Care2.com or its affiliates.
Copyright © 2009 Care2.com, inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved