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Related: About this forumClimate Scientists Lament a Nation Stuck on the Wrong Debate
http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20120604/climate-change-scientists-global-warming-ipcc-report-scientific-consensus-skeptics-humans-ice-sheets-melting[font face=Serif][font size=5]Climate Scientists Lament a Nation Stuck on the Wrong Debate[/font]
[font size=4]While the national climate debate is fixed on whether Earth is warming, climate scientists are focused on understanding how bad it will be.[/font]
By Katherine Bagley, InsideClimate News | Jun 4, 2012
[font size=3]The global warming debate in Congress, the states and on the campaign trail centers on two issues: Is Earth warming, and if so are humans to blame?
But ask most climate scientists, and they'll tell you that these are the only questions not in dispute. Climate change is a matter of how bad and by when, they'll saynot whether.
"Scientists are inherently skeptical," says Lonnie Thompson, a paleoclimatologist at Ohio State University, who has led studies of glaciers and ice sheets in 16 countries. "After enough evidence and observation, though, you have to start to accept findings. That is what happened with climate change. This wasn't a rash conclusion."
"There is not any serious debate about whether anthropogenic climate change is happening," says Daniel Sarewitz, co-director of the Consortium for Science, Policy and Outcomes at Arizona State University and a professor of science and society. "Scientists are certain about that, and it is unfortunate that the national debate is lagging so far behind."
[/font][/font]
[font size=4]While the national climate debate is fixed on whether Earth is warming, climate scientists are focused on understanding how bad it will be.[/font]
By Katherine Bagley, InsideClimate News | Jun 4, 2012
[font size=3]The global warming debate in Congress, the states and on the campaign trail centers on two issues: Is Earth warming, and if so are humans to blame?
But ask most climate scientists, and they'll tell you that these are the only questions not in dispute. Climate change is a matter of how bad and by when, they'll saynot whether.
"Scientists are inherently skeptical," says Lonnie Thompson, a paleoclimatologist at Ohio State University, who has led studies of glaciers and ice sheets in 16 countries. "After enough evidence and observation, though, you have to start to accept findings. That is what happened with climate change. This wasn't a rash conclusion."
"There is not any serious debate about whether anthropogenic climate change is happening," says Daniel Sarewitz, co-director of the Consortium for Science, Policy and Outcomes at Arizona State University and a professor of science and society. "Scientists are certain about that, and it is unfortunate that the national debate is lagging so far behind."
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Climate Scientists Lament a Nation Stuck on the Wrong Debate (Original Post)
OKIsItJustMe
Jun 2012
OP
kristopher
(29,798 posts)1. Kick and rec
longship
(40,416 posts)2. A good read
R&K
KurtNYC
(14,549 posts)3. In my experience, Nothing becomes a "crisis" until the PTB are in position to make money on it
So while there are models showing which real estate will drop in value and which will rise, while local city planner spend tax dollars to renovate areas that will be under water, etc, the best data is being hoarded and secreted and acted upon by the Dick Cheneys of the world.
To use the Titanic analog (yet again), if the upper deck passengers KNOW that there aren't enough lifeboats for all then they are incentivized to keep the debate on 'Is the ship REALLY sinking?' until they have loaded up and departed.
watrwefitinfor
(1,401 posts)4. +1,000. Bingo. n/t