Basic Climate Change Science: the 4 proven facts

NN
NN
OCO
OCO OO

OCO NN
OCO NN
 Basic Climate Change Science: the 4 proven facts
1. CO2 causes warming. 2. Humans emit CO2
OCO NN
OCO NN
 Basic Climate Change Science: the 4 proven facts
1. CO2 causes warming. 2. Humans emit CO2
OCO NN
OCO NN

3. Increasing CO2
in air
 Basic Climate Change Science: the 4 proven facts
1. CO2 causes warming. 2. Humans emit CO2
OCO NN
OCO NN

4. Global temperatures
3. Increasing CO2
increasing
in air
Temperature anomaly (C)
 Any legitimate debate would concern causal relationships:
1. CO2 causes warming. 2. Humans emit CO2

OCO NN
OCO NN

2 1
4. Global temperatures
3. Increasing CO2
increasing
in air
Temperature anomaly (C)

2
Any legitimate debate would concern causal relationships:
2. Humans emit CO2

1
3. Increasing CO 2
Half of our CO2
goes into sea
in air
Half stays in the air.
Making it slightly
more acid
 Any legitimate debate would concern causal relationships:
1. CO2 causes warming.
OCO NN
OCO NN

2
4. Global temperatures
3. Increasing CO2
increasing
in air
Temperature anomaly (C)

2
 Any legitimate debate would concern causal relationships:
1. CO2 causes warming.
OCO NN
OCO NN SUN
2
4. Global temperatures
3. Increasing CO2
increasing
in air
Temperature anomaly (C)

2
no solar warming solar warming no solar warming
 sun not sun contributing sun not
contributing to warming contributing
 Satellites show less heat escaping
atmosphere than before - reduction
matches CO2 absorption wavelength
(e.g. Harries et al., 2001, Nature 410: p335)

Change in radiation leaving Earth,

by wavelength, 1970-1997

NASA
http://www.skepticalscience.com/empirical-evidence-for-co2-enhanced-greenhouse-effect.htm
Climate change: the vital distinctions

The basic Advanced

science science
(proven) (still uncertain)

C
O O 1 1
Climate change: the vital distinctions
True
skeptic Denier
(advances science) (retards science)

2 2
 Warming
Climate change deniers: Warming Warming
Warming
Warming Warming Cooling
How their minds Warming Warming Warming
process information Warming Warming Warming
Warming Warming Warming
Warming Warming Warming
Warming
Warming Warming War
Warming
Warming Warming Warming
Warming Warming
Warming

Cool
-ing.
 Warming
Warming Warming
Proper scientists Warming
Warming
Warming
Warming Warming
WarmingWarming
Warming Warming
Warming WarmingWarmingWarming
consider all WarmingWarming
Warming Cooling Warming
Warming Warming WarmingWarmingWarming
information Warming WarmingWarming Warming
WarmingWarming WarmingWarming Warming
Warming
WarmingWarmingWarming
Warming
Warming WarmingWarmingWarming
Warming Warming Warming
Warming Warming
Warming WarmingWarming Warming
Warming
Warming Warming

To draw honest Warming.

conclusions
Climate change: the vital distinctions
True
skepticism Denial
(advances science) (retards science)
Good Science Bad Science
(seeks knowledge) (defends a fixed
conclusion)
OUTPUT

2
ONLY

3
Q. Will there be another ice age?
A. Scientists think not.
Ice ages are caused by tiny changes in our
orbit, cooling the northern hemisphere.
C
L
I
M
But the much
The next one would A stronger effect of
have happened around T CO2 is causing
12000 AD E warming instead
Climate change: the vital distinctions

Science Politics
(what are the facts?) (what do we do?)

4 4
2. Ideology: confusing science with politics
Science asks Politics asks
"What are the facts?" "What should we do?"
Answers found by Answers reached by
research & evidence debate & discussion
2. They confuse science with politics
Science asks Politics asks
"What are the facts?" "What should we do?"
E.g. E.g.
How much money is this? How should we spend it?

Correct answer: 2.43 No Correct answer!

2. Ideology: confusing science with politics
Science asks Politics asks
what causes what do we do
climate change? about it?
Wind Farms!

Fewer Cars!

Technology!

Nothing!

Correct answer: us! Correct answer: ???

2. Ideology: confusing science with politics

I dont want action

Politics asks
on climate change
what do we do
about it?
Wind Farms!

Fewer Cars!

Technology!

So Ill pretend
it isnt real
2. Ideology: confusing science with politics
I dont want action on climate change
Let future generations The scientists are
suffer. Our lives are wrong - theres no
hard enough already need to act.

Honest Dishonest
but hard but easy
to defend. to defend.