Climate Change Skeptic's Manifesto
Whenever I discuss "climate change" with a true believer, I run into many problems and have to constantly repeat myself, admit points that I'd never argued against in the first place, and basically struggle to make the believer understand what I'm trying to explain. And, usually in vain.
2) is a greenhouse gas. This means that it retains more heat than the average heat retention of the current mix of gases in the atmosphere.
2. I agree that atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have been rising steadily in recent decades and that that rise is almost certainly the direct result of human industrial activity.
3. The simple result of points 1 and 2 -- if we ignore other factors -- is that the earth's temperature would have to be higher now than it otherwise would have been without the increased carbon dioxide levels.
4. I agree that the overall trend of average global temperatures has been one of rising temperatures in recent decades.
... BUT ...
5. The observed rise in temperatures over the last century are not at all unusual when compared to the long term temperature record. (See "Globaloney".) ... Simply put, the 19th century was too cold! The 20th century appears to be nothing more than a reversion to the mean.
6. We cannot, in fact, ignore other factors as we said in point 3. The earth's climate is a complex, dynamic, non-linear system being driven by a large number of factors including feedback mechanisms.
7. A guaranteed, simple result -- as in point number 3 -- does not mean that the impact is significant. As a simple example, if I poured a large, boiling hot pot of coffee into a swimming pool, the average temperature of the water in that swimming pool would become higher. But, it doesn't follow that the people swimming in the swimming pool would ever know the difference.
8. Many of the large driving factors in earth's temperature and climate are beyond our ability to either predict or control.
9. Warmer temperatures, regardless of the cause, are not necessarily a net negative for human life on earth. ... This is really a separate debate, but there are excellent arguments that warmer temperatures can be a net benefit to humanity.
Seems like this ought to quickly end the liberal panic over CAGWa. I really don't think that there is anything debatable here. Except number 9, though indirectly. If you believe that there is a single other point here that is not bullet-proof, please comment. ... As this is a manifesto, I may well update or expand upon it in the future. Thanks.
Labels: global warming