Dr. Roger Pielke Junior sent this along with the options to ignore it, or to publish in whole or in part. Apparently, Dr. Kevin Trenberth can’t account for the facts in the book, The Climate Fix, and it’s a travesty that he can’t. – Anthony
Guest post by Dr. Roger Pielke Jr.
Science magazine made the odd decision to choose Kevin Trenberth, a
long-time and vocal critic of mine, who has repeatedly on the losing
sides of public debates over hurricanes and disasters, to review my
book. For background, see:
http://rogerpielkejr.blogspot.com/2009/10/shameful-article-review-and-update.html
Not surprisingly, Trenberth’s unhinged review is full of errors and
mischaracterizations. Here are a few:
1. TRENBERTH: “An example that he might have mentioned, but does not,
is President George W. Bush’s 2001 rejection of the Kyoto Protocol on
the grounds that it would hurt the economy. ”
REALITY: Actually, Pielke discusses Bush’s rejection of Kyoto on pp. 39 and 44
2. TRENBERTH: “Pielke treats economic and environmental gains as
mutually exclusive”
REALITY: Not so. From p. 50, “[A]ction to achieve environmental goals
will have to be fully compatible with the desire of people around the
world to meet economic goals. There will be no other way.”
3. TRENBERTH: “Pielke does not address the international lobbying for
economic advantage inherent in the policy negotiations. ”
REALITY: Wrong again. The international economics of the climate
debate are discussed on pp. 59, 65, 109, 219, 231, and 233 and are a
theme throughout
4. TRENBERTH: “He objects to Working Group III’s favoring of
mitigation (which is, after all, its mission) while ignoring Working
Group II (whose mission is adaptation).”
REALITY: Again, not so. Chapter 5 is about the balance between
mitigation and adaptation in international policy and discusses both
IPCC WG II and WG III (see pp. 153-155). What Pielke objects to is
defining adaptation as the consequences of failed mitigation.
5. TRENBERTH: “His claims that “the science of climate change becomes
irrevocably politicized” because “[s]cience that suggested large
climatic impacts on Russia was used to support arguments for Russia’s
participation in the [Kyoto] protocol”—as if there would be no such
impacts and Russia would be a “winner”—look downright silly given the
record-breaking drought, heat waves, and wildfires in Russia this past
summer.”
REALITY: Egregious misrepresentation. Trenberth selectively uses half
of a quote to imply that Pielke was making a claim that he did not.
The part left out by Trenberth (p. 156) was the counterpoint —
specifically that science that suggested few impacts on Russia was
used in similar fashion by advocates to argue against the Kyoto
Protocol. Pielke concludes, “In this manner, the science of climate
change becomes irreovocably politiciized , as partisans on either side
of the debate selectively array bits of science that best support
their position.”
6. TRENBERTH: “Pielke stresses economic data and dismisses the
importance of loss of life.”
REALITY: Wrong again. Pielke discusses loss of life related to climate
change on pp. 176-178
7. TRENBERTH: “Geoengineering is also dealt with by Pielke, but only briefly.”
REALITY Not so. Pielke devotes an entire chapter to geoengineering (Chapter 5).
8. TRENBERTH: “[Pielke] does not address the practicality of storing
all of the carbon dioxide.”
REALITY: Again, wrong. Pielke addresses the practicality of carbon
dioxide storage on pp. 133-134
And even with all these errors and false claims, Trenberth concludes
that the book is on the right track:
“[P]rogressively decarbonizing the economy and adopting an approach of
building more resiliency to climate events would be good steps in the
right direction”
Anyone who has read The Climate Fix should also read Trenberth’s
review, as they will learn something about Science magazine and a part
of climate science community.
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For those interested, Science Magazine offers Dr. Trenberth’s review here.
Unfortunately, it’s behind a paywall. Yeah, that’s gonna go far.
The Climate Fix: What Scientists and Politicians Won’t Tell You About Global Warming is available at Amazon.com
Did Trenberth even read the book?
James Fosser says:
November 27, 2010 at 4:18 am (Edit)
I see Britain is having the heaviest November snowfalls for seventeen years and more to come over the next two weeks. All this after the heavy snowfalls just ten months ago.
I’ve just been out to warm up the engines of my vehicles, tonight will be a shocker for low temperature. Still, my old dad told me an old weather saying today which gives me hope.
“If November ice will bear a duck, not much after but slush and muck.”
We’ll see if this pre-war wisdom holds good seven decades later…
Alexander K says:
November 27, 2010 at 3:55 am
Im almost ashamed to say that he is a fellow countryman of mine.
kwik,
Bomber Harris did a tough job during a dark time in the period of the British empire. Dont allow todays leftist appeasing soft “c8cks” try and blot his name out of the history books. We should be so lucky to have someone like Bomber Harris (ie. a man who possesses a spine) in government today.
Mailman
One wonders if Trenberth actually read the book, or had someone else provide a summary to him.
The part I love the best is that “Trenberth selectively uses half
of a quote to imply that Pielke was making a claim that he did not”, when the actual text in the book refers to the fact that partisans of either side selectively quote the facts that support their side of the argument.
The irony must be lost on Trenberth.
Pielke Jr and Trenberth both live (or at least work) in Boulder, Colorado.
It’s time for Live Combat! Pearl Street Mall in front of the Boulder Bookstore (selling copies of both guy’s books). High Noon. 12/21 Winter Solstice.
Trenberth uses a “heat ray”, powered by the “missing warming”. Travesty.
Pielke Jr. uses a “Squirrel Getter” super-soaker squirt gun. Eldorado Springs H2O
No CO2 generated in combat (except heavy breathing). Carbon-neutral, green city council approves.
My bet is on RP Jr.
Trenberth ran out of ammo long, long ago. His ice-covered remains should last until May.
orkneygal says:
November 27, 2010 at 1:25 am
Dr. Pielke-
All you need to do is to find Trenberth’s missing heat for him and I am sure he will change his opinion of your work immediately.
Just a thought.
As with any attempt to prove a negative, trying to find that which never was, is just as futile.
That is to say that “Trenberth’s missing heat” is the essence of the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.
That’s a wee bit of Irish folklore, regarding said pot of gold, leprechauns and all that.
Maybe Trenberth should resort to searching for leprechauns? Aye!
:o)
[snip – over the top ad hom against Louise ~mod]
” it’s a travesty that he can’t.”
A travesty of what?
Travesties are always travesties of something else (most commonly travesties of justice), so what is the something else in this case?
Science, RoHa. Not uncommon to drop a word in informal communication; people still know what you’re saying. I dropped a word from my previous sentence to illustrate.
Louise says:
November 27, 2010 at 5:37 am
‘Anthony – How much does he pay you for advertising his book? ‘
Probably not as much as you’re getting (is it $7 per hour now?) for trolling here. (sarc off)
Ah, the name Louise. Not connected to the London Telegraphs green goddess I presume. Has been busy this week pasting all sorts. Two gems amongst many.
This has turned up everywhere, this is the Telegraphs spin.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/climatechange/8159991/Global-warming-has-slowed-because-of-pollution.html
This one is really breathtaking.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/climatechange/8104428/Helena-Christensen-calls-for-action-on-climate-change.html
Mick
Jim Cole says:
November 27, 2010 at 5:08 pm
“Pielke Jr and Trenberth both live (or at least work) in Boulder, Colorado.”
I think the winther 2010 will be hard in Boulder Colorado.
Its a travesty.
Kwik, your comment surprises me – would you prefer WWII to have had a different outcome?
@Atomic Hairdryer
Which is just another non-sequitur.
When more efficient alternatives are available they will be developed and used.
Supply security as a concept is as bad as “the precautionary principle”. We trade with others. We exchange stuff to improve our standard of living. The Middle East for example are scared witless of “demand security”. Those who sell us raw materials or are as vulnerable as we are who buy them.
Plus, fossil fuel supply is far more globally diversified than many of the raw materials essential for most of the touted “alternatives”. China is the only material source of rare earth metals – and they recently banned there exportation.
We will always be dependent on trade with other countries as they will be vulnerable to us in return.
So, we are still left with no case made.
Everyone who loves central planning and direction, because they think they know how best to organise our trade, please step aside.
Well as to item #1; President George W. Bush’s rejection of Kyoto; hey Earth to critics ! this event was PRECEDED by the US Senate rejecting the Kyoto Treaty on a 94 to zilch, nothing, nada, vote. So who had GWB pegged as someone likely to run into a burning building just as it was about to collapse ?
“”””” RoHa says:
November 27, 2010 at 9:56 pm
” it’s a travesty that he can’t.”
A travesty of what?
Travesties are always travesties of something else (most commonly travesties of justice), so what is the something else in this case? “””””
Well if you had said that “Travesties” are NEVER “travesties of something else”; you would more likely be correct; just as a “Haircut” is NOT a “haircut of something else.”
A travesty is a travesty; look it up in the OED to see what it means.
Pielke Fils has put this on his own website, now.
Let’s see, we have Phony Jones, Piltdown Mann, and now Travesty Trenberth.
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