Climate Change Skeptic Results Released Today

Irishman writes "A leading climate change skeptic, Richard Muller, will release results today showing that global warming is indeed happening. He has shown that two items skeptics look to, urban heat islands and unreliable weather stations, do not skew the data. The amazing part is that this research is funded by the Koch brothers, two investors who fund climate change skeptics whenever possible."

Re:Different thing

[argStyopa]

Please, point to a time in history when the climate wasn't changing.

I'll point to what I point to every time: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vostok_Petit_data.svg [wikipedia.org]

Look at the 'pulses' in CO2 and temperature every 120,000y or so.
We're due for a pulse now, and we're getting one. Why is this a surprise?

Yes, AGW proponents will claim that the "rate-increase in CO2 is exceptional this time". However, I haven't seen that the Vostok ice cores have a reliable resolution down to centuries, certainly not the decade-detail that would be needed to confirm or refute such an assertion. Lacking a basis for comparison, such a statement is nothing more than a quasi-religious statement of belief.

Further, AGW proponents will point to the "fact" the the current CO2 levels exceed anything in the historical record (usually pointing to the data from Mauna Kea). I'd say that's persuasive, but not conclusively so: assuming that high levels of CO2 cause warming, then logically ice cores are only going to contain atmospheric samples up to a fairly low ambient temperature. The fact that petrified wood is also found in Antarctica would suggest that perhaps ice cores are only registering a cold-biased segment of the data.

A *great* analysis of global warming, particularly in regards the ice-core data is here: http://globalwarming-arclein.blogspot.com/2009/01/vostok-ice-core-interpretation.html [blogspot.com]
To pull out one of many interesting points:

In an area of science where experiments are hard to do, nature has given us 4 repetitions. The Vostock core clearly shows that when the temperature reaches 2ÂC a mechanism kicks in which sets the temperature falling again and initiates an ice-age. Since this mechanism has repeatedly worked well after 100,000 years of disuse, it seems to be robust.

Finally, we know that climactic conditions on Earth have been substantially warmer AND colder for long periods of time. Nothing we're experiencing here is outside planetary experience. It may (or may not) be suboptimal for humans and the current crop of lifeforms, but again something like 99% of all species ever existing are extinct today. We adapt or die. Humans are, as far as I'm aware, the most adaptable species we know of. I think we'll be fine.

Lest you think this is some sort of c'est la vie to environmental concerns, that's not true. I don't believe the world has to be ending to practice a 'don't shit where you live' philosophy. However, I simply don't believe that we need to prostrate ourselves before the altar of global warming trying like Lilliputians trying to fix climate to (what we think is) what's perfect for us, today.

Regards,
A Denier.

Re:Different thing

[MrHanky]

Just note that I didn't label my opponent, whereas that was exactly the crux of your argument: "oh no he wasn't a real sceptic, I have been lied to!" Wherein you demand that others adhere to your layman definition of scepticism, and you consider the lack of bias equal to your own to be bias. You make up half-truths in order to label others as liars. Well done for someone who dares calling himself my intellectual opponent.

Re:Different thing

[BergZ]

Interesting that you should mention the Vostok ice core data. Most Climate Change "truthers" aren't very familiar with the scientific data about Climate Change.
I'd like to draw your attention to something interesting about the Vostok ice core data:
You'll notice that, in the last 400,000 years (spanning multiple Ice Ages and inter-glacial periods), the atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide never exceeded 300ppm. We currently stand at ~390ppm.