Judith Curry reports on a Workshop on Reconciliation in the Climate Change Debate. Sounds like a neat and hopeless idea, like tilting at windfarms. It would be nice to think it had a chance, but a look at the list of attendees shows that it is all people who are on the “outer” of the debate.
They are:
- Judith Curry
- Steve Goddard
- Steve McIntyre
- Ross McKitrick
- Steve Mosher
- Fred Pearce
- Nick Stokes
- Hans von Storch
- Peter Webster
These are people, like me, who don’t necessarily dispute that the world is getting hotter but demand rigour in the measurements and ask the “so what” questions. It’s galling to be called a “denier” and inferentially lumped-in with those who deny things like the holocaust, but I doubt that this conference is going to change anything.
In fact, it’s intriguing that they would agree to attend at all. At the moment the climate change establishment is on the back foot. It’s colder in some parts of the world than they predicted, and wetter, the globe hasn’t warmed for 13 years, and the issue is losing its political urgency (apparently only tangentially rated a mention in Obama’s State of the Union address).
That the anti-establishment is prepared to attend is further proof of their bonafides. They’re in a strong position but they still want to talk. Well you generally won’t talk unless you’re in a strong or a weak position. But when the strong will talk it’s generally a sign not just of strength but of confidence. Those in a weak position never want to talk, and the IPCC establishment has never been in a strong position which is demonstrated by their unwillingness to admit as much as a single mistake.
Having politicised the issue the IPCC establishment and the political left now complain that their opponents are waging a war on science, when what they mean is a war on them, and one which they provoked.
For reconciliation to work it takes two (at least). But it seems that only one side is interested. If you’re not up to the science (and who is?) it gives you another metric for sifting truth from dross.
Yes Graham.It is almost automatic these days to question the science and labelled a “deniar” John Cleese would have a ball satirising such a scenario.
IPPC; Are you denying the existance of AGW cause by CO2?
Serf; Well yes sir, the facts don’t seem the back your assertions.
IPCC; Don’t you realise you are questioning the grand authority decreed by the holiest of sciences? This is heresy and the gods have not approved a change in our official policy.You are but a little serf.
Serf; But sir,when the sun comes up it gets hotter.Why was not the sun included in your research?
IPCC; Take this serf out immediately and have him stoned for insubordination.In fact stoning s too good.Have him crucified instead.
Serf; Always look on the bright side of life,when your chewing on lifes gristle,just give a whistle………
Comment by Ross — January 27, 2011 @ 5:32 am
Goodness Graham, just how many errors are you alluding to, which you claim have been made by the IPCC? I trust you are refraining from dirtying things up to make an impression?
Science has never been 100% accurate – never will be but of course you would know this. Perhaps you could also write an article denying the science on tobacco smoking because thousands of heavy smokers do not succumb to lung cancer. So the medical scientists are not 100% accurate and they too must lack integrity eh?
While you remain fixated on the “pot/kettle” nonsense, why not acknowledge the myriad of errors the fossil fuel mouthpieces are peddling around the planet (with the aid of laundered brown paper bags from the industry of course):
http://hot-topic.co.nz/buffoons-in-arms-goddard-joins-monckton-at-sppi/
http://www.altenergyaction.org/Monckton.html
http://scienceblogs.com/deltoid/
And irrespective of climate change and A/carbon emissions I trust that you will be man enough to also publicly acknowledge that you are complicit by default since you are supporting the multi-national eco-vandals – the greed barons who are well practised in chewing the arse out of Momma Nature, free of charge and with impunity.
History will not be kind to the ecocidal overlords and their avaricious dancing boys.
Comment by Dryblower — February 16, 2011 @ 10:22 am
IMHO, there is no room for reconciliation with these Closet Communists. They want an ETS, Economic Treason Scam, charge them with it immediately, lock them up in a labour camp ASAP.
Comment by formersnag — March 5, 2011 @ 1:49 am