Climate Change? The IPCC Retreats
By Dr. Jeff Mirus ( bio - articles - email ) | Sep 16, 2013
On September 13th, the Wall Street Journal reported on the latest 5-year report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. You may recall that the previous IPCC report, while revealing some changing data, was still fairly panicky, which caused a great many people to dismiss the more cautious approach advocated by other scientists, and indeed by CatholicCulture.org (see Scientific Disagreement about Climate Change).
According to the WSJ, the IPCC has now dialed its concern about global warming way back (for example, it has now been over 15 years since there has been any overall warming). A related story on September 10th reported that the area of Arctic sea ice had already rebounded by 30% from its record low a year ago.
Does this close the question of global warming forever? Hardly. But apparently scientists are beginning to spend considerable time and energy figuring out why the earlier projections were so far off. Climate science is extraordinarily complex, which is why great caution is required. But happily some things are predictable: Do not expect apologies from the moralists of the movement.
Jeffrey Mirus holds a Ph.D. in intellectual history from Princeton University. A co-founder of Christendom College, he also pioneered Catholic Internet services. He is the founder of Trinity Communications and CatholicCulture.org. See full bio.
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
-
Posted by: Bveritas2322 -
Sep. 18, 2013 8:07 PM ET USA
Environment catastrophe myths are rooted in the need to find a way to justify the war against population and to assuage a repressed conscience suffering from guilt pangs from having supported crushing the skulls of the preborn.
-
Posted by: -
Sep. 17, 2013 9:02 PM ET USA
Many "climate deniers" forfeited reputation, fellowships, grants, professional recognition and publishing/speaking opportunities because of their correct skepticism over dubious "climate change" Lysenkoism. Where do they go to get their careers back?
-
Posted by: jg23753479 -
Sep. 17, 2013 9:01 AM ET USA
Did I miss that important apologetic speech by soi-disant climate expert Albert Gore, the former tobacco farmer? I don't watch TV, you know.
