Latest Assessment Report IPCC

[FabianPattberg]

Hello members,

Just wanted to let you know that the latest Assessment Report IPCC is being published on the 4th of Febuary:

http://www.ipcc.ch/

Lets see what they will have to report.

Fabian

[Neil]

Fabian,

Thanks for the link. I heard something on the radio today that suggested that the IPCC will be revising the expected global warming effect on average sea level downwards in the next report. The basis for this is not the discovery of new evidence to suggest that climate change will be less catastrophic, but a methodological change to the calculation of risk. In overly simplistic terms the scientists have been asked to discount any significant uncertainties from their calculations and stick to what is known. To coin the ridiculous phrase - 'the known unknowns' will be ignored.

To me this just highlights the problem of international science. Whilst the pure subject may be wholly objective, the scientists (by choosing their desired research area in the first instance), administrators, funders (for obvious reasons) and reporters (media selling programmes and papers) are all working to their own political agendas in forming public opinion.

The science has helped to galvanise public opinion and we are finally seeing action. However, public opinion can be changed pretty quickly. I hope the report I heard today is incorrect. If not, I hope the reason for the re-evaluation is thoroughly explained to the public. Afterall scientists, generally speaking (apologies to any scientists in advance), are notoriously bad communicators.

There are already one or two 'flat earthers' on this forum who seem happy to pedal the 'climate change what climate change?' wind up line. A significant announcement such as this, picked up, spun and propelled by the tabloids, could even have them believing their own drivel.


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[FabianPattberg]

Hello members,

This is the link to the PDF version of the report:

http://www.ipcc.ch/SPM2feb07.pdf

And NY Times article on the report:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/02/sc...=1&oref=slogin

Fabian

[fabian]

Hello members,

We did not have to wait long for a reaction of the Climate Change sceptics:

http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsst...0174/story.htm

I think the last sentence really says everyting:

"Acknowledging that the report represents the work of 2,500 scientists from more than 130 nations, Green said, "That doesn't mean they're always right."

Fabian

[Martin]

The man has a fair point.

Just because the majority believe something (and there is plenty of evidence to support them) that doesn't mean that they are right. A cautious approach is usually advisable however so adopting the precautionary principle in relation to climate change seems inherently sensible!