August 1, 2012
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Reluctant Warmist
Richard Muller is a climate scientist who recently won a MacArthur "genius" award. At first Dr. Muller did not want to believe in warming. For most of his career, he assumed our temperature fluctuations could be explained by El Niño, solar activity, urban heating bias, and volcanos.
His research, the Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature project, was funded mainly by the Koch Brothers. Yes, THOSE Koch brothers. To their credit, they did not guide Muller's research or suggest an outcome.
"Call me a converted skeptic. Three years ago I identified problems in previous climate studies that, in my mind, threw doubt on the very existence of global warming. Last year, following an intensive research effort involving a dozen scientists, I concluded that global warming was real and that the prior estimates of the rate of warming were correct. I’m now going a step further: Humans are almost entirely the cause." ( source )
His central conclusion is that the best match for the systematic temperature rise of two and a half degrees is the level of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Other explanations do not fit nearly as well.
But he notes there are still widespread public exaggerations. The number of hurricanes and severe tornadoes hitting the United States has been going down, not up. Polar bears are not dying from receding ice, and it’s possible that we are currently no warmer than we were a thousand years ago, during the “Medieval Warm Period.” The recent warm spell in the United States is offset by cooling elsewhere in the world, so the link of droughts to global warming is doubtful.
Is there any way we can slow down or reverse the warming? Dr. Muller believes our best chance is to substitute natural gas for coal. In this video, the interview begins at minute 7:20.
We need to invest billions into research to make fracking safe, says Muller.
Comments (8)
really interesting. My People in Canada tell me all the time how different their weather is these past ten years. My uncle told
me it is because of man's pollution. He is no scientist but a northern fishing and hunts man. He said when he was young weather was never like it is now in Northern Ontario. It is a shame that my tribe is not being listened to about pollution. I like that the world does have a valid proof by a person of science. If only people will listen.
A recent report says that solar panels could be the biggest contender for an alternative energy source. Ironically the Republicans want to end alternative energy subsidies. Storage of solar energy via batteries and heat sinks could make energy available in off sunlight times.
We need to get off using too much fossil fuels. The addiction to fossil fuels is hard to stop but baby steps and an early start can help us to reduce producing too much Carbon dioxide.
@Ikwa - In this summer's drought, everyone is ready to believe that warming is happening. In the winter, everyone seems to change his mind, But you're right, we need to be aware of long term warming trends. We need to disregard the fables of the fossil fuel industry.
@PPhilip - Which recent report are we talking about? You ought to name your source.
Germany has been the most successful in converting to solar energy even though their climate is not well suited to it. Imagine using the Sahara and Mojave and Gobi as vast solar farms. It can be done.
Dunno why people bother doing some research? Dunno why people willing to spend a lot of money on some particular research knowing there's nothing they can do to adjust or change the fact.
Yeah. There are some conservative politicians who do not respond to evidence. They are going to remain stupid no matter what the science says. Maybe it's too late for us.
That's great he looks at it objectively.
@ShimmerBodyCream - He do. So are you going to reduce your carbon footprint? or what
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