reply to post by Sinter Klaas
You've first got to understand that the best the "consensus" can do is , "We do not know what else it can be, so it must be US."
I think part of the problems lies in an assumption people make that since we've got these HUGE, multi-billion-dollar institutions (e.g., Hadley/CRU,
NASA, the UN, Stanford U., et c.) involved; then, they MUST be right.
That is pure hubris.
Oreske cautions in closing:
"The scientific consensus might, of course, be wrong.
If the history of science teaches anything, it is humility, and no one can be
faulted for failing to act on what is not known.
...
Many details about climate interactions are not well understood, and there are ample grounds for continued research to provide a better
basis for understanding climate dynamics."
www.sciencemag.org... Oreske,
Science, 2003.
Scientific proof is experimentation and observation and examination of data. With climatology, even the data is highly disputed. Where everyone
agrees that the Hadley/CRU data is no longer reliable, we've recently learned that the Chinese and even NASA data have problems.
Taking projections (that never agree with each other) based on questionable data as GOSPEL is foolhardy, at best, even if there is some sort of
"consensus" among their creators/proprietors/consumers. And, you have to look at the motivations of these consumers: if what you want is junk, people
will line up to sell you junk. I've faced many "junk science" merchants during my career; all of whom have had a ready market for their "product."
I didn't post a thread titled "The Scientific Consensus ... ," you did, sir. But, let's take a look at what the various "consumers" of the
"consensus" opinion have done with their product, and what it's accomplished:
1990 Kyoto Accord: Japan CO2, up 10% (in a stagnant economy); EU CO2, up 40%; UK CO2, up 20%. All, during the imposition of strict carbon-trading
markets that have enriched the traders in the $billions. (The US, a non-member, only increased CO2 5%, through less-radical
market-driven adaptations).
The "consensus" assumed that 21st century CO2 in the industrialized nations would balloon at the expense of "developing" nations, including BRIC.
However, beginning in 2007, industrialized CO2 has FALLEN, while that of the developing nations has skyrocketed! Why? Market forces; as opposed to
regulation.
Net result: misguided, consensus-driven regulation has negative and unintended consequences, while market forces have immediate and predictable
responses.
What has happened to the climate since Kyoto, or the recession? Does anyone agree that there's been a reduction or halt to AGW? No!
Thus far, the "consensus" has been the basis of wrong-headed approaches that have injured industries and economies while enriching its adoptees who
can find a "program" or solution to impose on others.
Right now, the best the IPCC and the consensus can do is guess; and its been piss-poor guesswork with undesirable results. Phil Jones best sums-up
the true basis of the AGW theory: (paraphrasing) "We don't know what else it might be, so it must be man."
That's not good enough for me, and it should not be the basis of draconian government-imposed solutions.
So, I don't know if there is irrefutable evidence for or against man as the cause. I do know, however, that as far back as 20 years ago, OTHER
potential causes of "global warming" were seen, with prescience that should embarrass the AGW projectionists.
I also know that despite horrific damage that man HAS caused the environment (Chernobyl, Love Canal), the Earth has reclaimed her land as soon as we
were gone. I do not believe we can have a lasting global effect upon the Earth.
(A couple of other potential causes:
NASA Study Finds Increasing Solar Trend That Can Change Climate
PLANETOPHYSICAL STATE OF THE EARTH AND LIFE)
edit on 27-11-2010 by jdub297 because: fix cites