Why Scientists Disagree About Global Warming

Why Scientists Disagree About Global Warming

<p> Probably the most widely repeated claim in the debate over global warming is that 97% of scientists agree that climate change is man-made and dangerous, the authors write. This claim is not only false, but its presence in the debate is an insult to science. </p> <p>With these words, the authors begin a detailed analysis of one of the most controversial topics of the day. The authors make a compelling case against claims of a scientific consensus. The purported proof of such a consensus consists of sloppy research by nonscientists, college students, and a highly partisan Australian blogger. Surveys of climate scientists, even those heavily biased in favor of climate alarmism, find extensive disagreement on the underlying science and doubts about its reliability. </p> <p>The authors point to four reasons why scientists disagree about global warming: a conflict among scientists in different and often competing disciplines; fundamental scientific uncertainties concerning how the global climate responds to the human presence; failure of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to provide objective guidance to the complex science; and bias among researchers.</p> <p>The authors offer a succinct summary of the real science of climate change based on their previously published comprehensive review of climate science in a volume titled <i>Climate Change Reconsidered II: Physical Science</i>. They recommend that policymakers resist pressure from lobby groups to silence scientists who question the authority of the IPCC to claim to speak for climate science. </p>