Sonntag, 13. Dezember 2009

Precis: In Face of Skeptics, Experts Affirm Climate Peril

Article: In the Face of Skeptics, Experts Affirm Climate Peril
Publisher: New York Times
Date: 6 December 2009
URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/07/science/earth/07climate.html?_r=1&scp=4&sq=copenhagen%20climate%20change&st=cse

Climate change remains a controversial topic. Copenhagen, however, has given rise to renewed debates on the issue with skeptics attacking the science behind climate change. Stolen files and e-mails from the University of East Anglia, a world renowned climate research institute, have led some to oppose the limits proposed for greenhouse gases and to the questioning of the science that Copenhagen is based on.
The information disclosed so far in the stolen documents does not undercut the decades of peer-reviewed sciences. However, skepticism remains, for political, ideological and economic reasons. The persisting uncertainties in climate science leave room for argument, which leaves room for skepticism. Both sides of the argument, those that believe in ‘global warming’ and those that don’t, have a lot to lose. If ‘global warming’ were true, the best case scenario would be rising social, economic, political and environmental disruption, at worst a global disaster of massive proportions. If ‘global warming’ were false, nations will have diverted billions of dollars to curb global warming, even though there is a global recession.
However, even those skeptical of the severity of the consequences of global warming acknowledge that it is, to some extent, driven by the emission of greenhouse gases. A 2007 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change stated that there is no doubt that the earth is warming, and that recent warming is ‘very likely’ driven by human actions. It poses a risk to people and ecosystems. The National Academy of Sciences supports these findings, stating that uncertainties should not be a reason for inaction.
Copenhagen is already subject to political, technical and financial disputes; this subject only adds to the list of problems. Leaders have abandoned hope of creating a binding international climate treaty this year.

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