The Week That Was: 2013-06-22 (June 22, 2013) Brought to You by SEPP (www.SEPP.org) The Science and Environmental Policy Project
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Quote of the Week: It is a good morning exercise for a research scientist to discard a pet hypothesis every day before breakfast. It keeps him young. Konrad Lorenz [The Quotations Page]
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Number of the Week: $250,000 times 10,000
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THIS WEEK:
By Ken Haapala, Executive Vice President, Science and Environmental Policy Project (SEPP)
Temperature Debate: Larry Bell’s column on Forbes on-line carried a debate between Texas State Climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon of Texas A&M University and Fred Singer, former director of the U.S. Weather Satellite Service and University of Virginia Professor Emeritus. The issue is: Has there been any global warming since 1978?
Nielsen-Gammon asserts there has and Singer asserts there is no convincing evidence since that time. One issue is that there has been warming of the northern part of the northern hemisphere, but is that really global? For example, see the data from satellites prepared by University of Alabama, Huntsville: http://nsstc.uah.edu/climate/2012/november/trend_Dec78_Nov12_alt.png
Please see link under Science Debate
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NIPCC in China: The editors of the two major reports by the Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change (NIPCC) have returned from China. Unfortunately, some commentators saw the translation of the two major reports by a unit of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) as an endorsement of the reports, which it clearly was not.
The press release by the CAS stated it was to open dialogue, something sorely missing in many western countries. For that reason, some of the links carried in last week’s TWTW were taken down. No doubt, updates will come out this week.
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Lack of Science: The Heritage Foundation provided presentations by Patrick Michaels and Harold Doiron, with comments by Harlan Watson on the lack of science within the climate establishment and its publications. Michaels led seven person team, organized under the CATO institute, which evaluated the 2009 US government National Climate Assessment (NCA): Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States. The report was a principal source cited by the EPA in its finding that greenhouse gases (GHG), particularly carbon dioxide, (CO2), endanger human health and welfare. The new report, ADDENDUM: Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States, is laid out in a similar fashion as the earlier one, permitting side by side comparison. The report comes to significantly different conclusions than the prior one on issues such as national impacts of climate change, impacts on crop production and livestock, sea levels, life expectancy and health. On Alaska fisheries, the original report stated conclusions that are directly refuted in the original paper it cites.
Harold Doiron is the leader of The Right Climate Stuff team (TRCS) comprised, mostly, of retired Apollo veterans. Doiron’s background is in complex system modeling – what the climate modelers are doing. He developed the guidance software and techniques for the lunar lander. The all-volunteer TRCS team brought in people from both sides of the issue on dangerous Anthropogenic (human caused) Global Warming (AGW) looking into the research and the data.
He said that TRCS team applied the successful methodology used at NASA to find the root cause of the problem (do not assume a cause) and the use of problem definition and root causes analysis for rational decision making. The conclusions are: the science is not settled, there is no reason for alarm, and no convincing physical evidence for catastrophic AGW. The computer models need to be validated, before being used for critical decision making; and do not waste money on running models until the hard work is accomplished to show the models agree with nature.
Doiron was quite harsh on the logic used by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and on the NCA. In essence, the IPCC states that the cause of recent warming must be CO2, because its unvalidated computer models cannot account for the observed warming unless it assumes strong amplifying anthropogenic warming feedback relations in the models. Doiron bluntly states this is not proof in the school of hard knocks.
To Doiron, the NCA contains a lot of good science, but it is not a valuable scientific document because it is more to push for public policy change (unsupported by validated models). For a link to the video please see Challenging the Orthodoxy. For links to the summary and the full report of TRCS team please see: http://www.therightclimatestuff.com/SummaryPrelimReport.html and http://therightclimatestuff.com/AGW%20Science%20Assess%20Rpt-1.pdf
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Mean Is Meaningless Continued: The post by Robert Brown of Duke on WUWT declaring that the mean shown in the ensemble of climate models has no meaning has caused a stir. Statistician William Briggs states that the mean of the ensemble of models, such as weather models, can have significant meaning. They may be both right, in part. Though Briggs does not discuss this, think of a US carrier fleet which is spread over a large area with airplanes operating hundreds of miles from the fleet. According to a retired naval meteorologist, the ensemble of weather models in such a fleet are being tested and updated constantly. When asked about the longest duration a weather forecast may be reliable, he replied that, on occasion, up to 11 days, provided all the models converged. Here is a critical difference in the treatment of the models. The climate models are not being tested and updated constantly, and they certainly do not converge.
For the statistically inclined, Robert Brown has another post further dealing with the probabilities stated in the IPCC’s Fourth Assessment Report (AR4). Brown states that predictive modeling is difficult, and invites the authors of the Summary for Policymakers (SPM) of AR4 to “explain in detail how they derived the probability ranges that make it so easy for the policy makers to understand how likely to certain it is that we are en route to catastrophe.” Will any of these authors respond? Please see links under Statistical Issues.
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Missing from Models: Judith Curry has a provocative post on what is missing in the climate models. It is based on a paper by Stevens and Bony stating that adding complexity to the climate models does not improve the fundamental deficiencies in the models. Curry’s conclusions in the post bear repeating:
“However, IMO [In My Opinion] the more fundamental problems with climate models lie in the coupling of two chaotic fluids – the ocean and the atmosphere. The inability of climate models to simulate the evolution of and connections among the teleconnections [such as the Southern Oscillation] and interannual to multidecadal circulation regimes is the biggest source of problems for understanding regional climate variability.
Taking climate modeling back to basics to address the interplay between atmospheric water and the atmospheric circulation, and the complex couplings between the atmosphere and ocean, require going back to basics and looking at a hierarchy of models and a range of model structural forms. Better understanding and simulation of the climate requires that [we] improve our understanding and treatment of these processes in climate models. It is pointless to worry about aerosols, carbon cycle etc in the context of climate models until these more fundamental issues are addressed.”
Curry seems to agree with Harold Doiron. We will not move forward in understanding the human influence on climate until we understand and can model the natural influences on climate. Adding fluff increases vagueness and wastes money. Please see link under Seeking a Common Ground.
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Model Foolishness: Bjørn Lomborg reminds us that 2013 is the 40th anniversary of the Limits to Growth, which used state of the art computer models that were not validated to predict that humanity faced a devastating collapse from the lack of food, oil, other commodities, etc. Forgetting this history, The World Bank has come out with a report, prepared by the alarmist Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and Climate Analytics, which uses state of the art computer models that are not validated to predict that humanity faces a devastating collapse from the use of too much fossil fuels. The title, 4º Turn Down the Heat, indicates the quality of the report. It assess the impacts of a 1.5ºC, 2 ºC, and 4 ºC rise in temperatures above pre-industrial levels (roughly since the Little Ice Age). All the ills are here: heat extremes, rainfall changes, crashing agriculture production, sea-level rise, etc. It is becoming apparent, that by focusing on the results of computer models that are not validated, the World Bank is becoming an obstacle to alleviating world poverty.
As part of the UK Government’s National Adaptation Programme, the consulting firm PWC prepared a similar report for the UK. However it was based on a modest 2 ºC. The above comments concerning models apply to both reports. Please see links under Lowering Standards, Communicating Better to the Public – Make things up, and Models v. Observations.
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NOAA Numbers: NOAA issued a statement that this May was the third hottest since record keeping began in the 1880s. The claim was quickly debunked by Joseph D’Aleo and Anthony Watts. Perhaps the measurements were influenced by the excitement in Washington over rumors that President Obama will make a major climate policy statement in July. Please see links under Communicating Better to the Public – Make things up
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Agriculture Issues: Evidence continues to mount that increased CO2 in the atmosphere is a benefit for plants, the environment, and humanity.
Surprisingly, an extensive UK study showed pesticide workers have a longer life span and lower mortality rate from cancer than the general population. These findings will give the EPA and green groups major headaches. Please see links under Agriculture Issues & Fear of Famine, and Review of Recent Scientific Articles by NIPCC
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Call for Nominations: The Topical Group on the Physics of Climate of the American Physical Society has issued a call for nominations for three positions on the GPC Executive Committee, one Vice-Chair and 2 at large. Nominations for member at large can be submitted to http://www.aps.org/units/gpc/governance/nominations.cfm and for vice chair at http://www.aps.org/units/gpc/governance/nominations_vc.cfm
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Amplification and Corrections: Last week TWTW reported on a debate on a proposed carbon tax. Ronald Bailey, the debate moderator, took exception to the statement: From his questions, it quickly became evident that the moderator… After re-reading the questions, Mr. Bailey’s is correct and the statement should have read along the lines it was the impression by at least one in the audience …
Reader Clyde Spencer points out that as long as the pH remains above 7, reducing the pH of an alkaline solution is not neutralizing it, but making it less alkaline. As always we appreciate those who take the time to provide amplifications and corrections.
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Number of the Week: $250,000 times 10,000 – Patrick Michaels, the editor-in-chief of the CATO team that prepared ADDENDUM: Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States reported that the entire effort cost CATO about $250,000, including printing.
The FY 2012 budget request of U.S. Global Change Research Program is $2.6 Billion – about 10,000 times more than it cost CATO for the addendum. The USGCRP budget does not include funds spent by many agencies for USGCRP support, nor the monies spent in support of the UN IPCC, which was about $2.7 Billion in FY 2011 http://globalchange.gov/about/budget-documents
Perhaps USGCRP should hire the CATO team perform the final review and editing of the upcoming report. It may save the taxpayers considerable sums of money and better serve the public.
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ARTICLES:
For the numbered articles below please see this week’s TWTW at: www.sepp.org. The articles are at the end of the pdf.
1. German Energy Drain
The green-power push is driving business to the low-cost U.S.
Editorial, WSJ, Jun 14, 2013
2. Obama’s Keystone Regrets
By Kimberley Strassel, WSJ, Jun 18, 2013
3. The Rationale for Wind Power Won’t Fly
Physical limitations will keep this energy source a niche provider of U.S. electricity needs.
By Jay Lehr, WSJ, Jun 18, 2013
4. California’s Cap-and-Tax Grab
Democrats raid carbon-emissions auction revenue to finance more welfare spending.
Editorial, WSJ, Jun 17, 2013
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NEWS YOU CAN USE:
Climategate Continued
Briffa Condemns Mann Reconstructions
By Steve McIntyre, Climate Audit, Jun 16, 2013
http://climateaudit.org/2013/06/16/briffa-condemns-mann-reconstructions/
[SEPP Comment: Not directly, but based on McIntyre’s analysis of Briffa’s work.]
Science Debate
Any Global Warming Since 1978? Two Climate Experts Debate This
By Larry Bell, Forbes, Jun 28, 2013
Challenging the Orthodoxy
The Lack of Science in the Scientific Consensus: The Case of the National Climate Assessment
Video: Lectures by Patrick Michaels and Harold Doiron, Comments by Harlan Watson, Hosted by David Kreutzer, Heritage Foundation, June 6, 2013
http://www.heritage.org/events/2013/05/national-climate
Climate Change Deception Easy Because Most Don’t Understand
By Tim Ball, A Different Perspective, Jun 17, 2013
http://drtimball.com/2013/climate-change-deception-easy-because-most-dont-understand/
[SEPP Comment: Even after changing the label, it is still not correct, just easier to defend.]
John Christy: Climate Change Overview in Six Slides
By Marlo Lewis, Global Warming.org, May 31, 2013
http://www.globalwarming.org/2013/05/31/john-christy-climate-change-overview-in-six-slides/
Taxing Air
Facts and fallacies about climate change
Announcing a new book by Bob Carter and John Spooner, et al., by Geoff Brown, NCTCS, June 21, 2013
http://theclimatescepticsparty.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/taxing-air.html
Encompassing Tests of Socioeconomic Signals in Surface Climate Data
By Ross McKitrick, U. of Guelph, Climate Change, In Press
http://www.rossmckitrick.com/uploads/4/8/0/8/4808045/encompassing.preprint.pdf
[SEPP Comment: Previously, McKitrick pointed out a significant association between land surface temperatures and socio-economic development (urban heat island effect). This finding has been dismissed by the IPCC. Now, he proposes testing procedure to compare the existence of such an association against the alternative that one does not exist.]
Two years to a 1740-type event?
By David Archibald, WUWT, Jun 18, 2013
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/06/18/two-years-to-a-1740-type-event/
[SEPP Comment: An intriguing hypothesis which can be tested, shortly.]
Defending the Orthodoxy
Obama calls climate change the ‘global threat of our time’ in Berlin address
By Ben Geman, The Hill, Jun 19, 2013
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/306511-obama-climate-change-the-global-threat-of-our-time
Menon et al Publish Latest Crystal Ball Forecast For Indian Monsoons, Claiming It Is A “Robust Indicator”
By P. Gosselin, No Tricks Zone, Jun 21, 2013
[SEPP Comment: The same institute that prepared the World Bank Report!]
Questioning the Orthodoxy
Critical Thinking about Climate Change
By Anthony J. Sadar, American Thinker, Jun 20, 2013
http://www.americanthinker.com/2013/06/critical_thinking_about_climate_change.html
Some model thoughts
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Jun 18, 2013
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2013/6/18/some-model-thoughts.html
[SEPP Comment: Now some defending the models are calling the results plausible trajectories, not predictions. Have they stated that clearly to the policymakers and the public?]
An Engineer’s Thoughts on Key AGW Questions
By Ronald Voisin, WUWT, Jun 20, 2013
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/06/20/an-engineers-thoughts-on-key-agw-questions/
[SEPP Comment: Need to read all three parts.]
Climate-change hype turns 25
Shoddy science guided by overheated activism stands exposed
By Anthony J. Sadar, Washington Times, Jun 13, 2013
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jun/13/climate-change-hype-turns-25/
Science Media Centre’s casual misrepresentation
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Jun 20, 2013
http://www.bishop-hill.net/blog/2013/6/20/science-media-centres-casual-misrepresentation.html
Problems in the Orthodoxy
UN climate talks: No consensus on… well, consensus
By Staff Writers, AFP, Jun 15, 2013
http://www.france24.com/en/20130615-un-climate-talks-no-consensus-well-consensus
[SEPP Comment: Russia objects to lack of transparency in the UN process.]
UK electricity prices almost twice as expensive as Germany within three years
Electricity prices in Britain may be almost double those in Germany within three years due largely to the impact of a new tax aimed at supporting renewable power generation, a report by bank Credit Suisse has claimed.
By Staff Writers, Telegraph, UK, Jun 19, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
[SEPP Comment: At one point it was which country could be most green; now it is which country could be most extreme in punishing its citizens with high electricity prices.]
Bonn endgame: Africa rebels as climate talks collapse
By Craig Rucker, CFact, Jun 19, 2013
A cooling consensus
By W.W. Houston, The Economist, Jun 20, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
Climate Expert von Storch: Why Is Global Warming Stagnating?
Interview by Olaf Stampf and Gerald Traufetter, Trans Ella Ornstein, Der Spiegel, Jun 20, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
Met Office: We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know
By David Whitehouse, GWPF, Jun 20, 2013
http://www.thegwpf.org/met-office-dont-dont/
[SEPP Comment: What an improvement over asserting knowledge that does not exist.]
More signposts on the road to the post-Climate-scare world
By Jo Nova, Her Blog, Jun 21, 2013
http://joannenova.com.au/2013/06/more-signposts-on-the-road-to-the-post-climatic-oblivion/
Seeking a Common Ground
Anatomy of dissent
By Judith Curry, Climate. Etc., Jun 19, 2013
http://judithcurry.com/2013/06/19/anatomy-of-dissent/#more-11843
It is noteworthy that contrarian scientists tend to be empiricists and physicists (i.e., theoreticians)
[SEPP Comment: A long social science post. Curry’s comments at the end are noteworthy, we need to go to the theoretical and empirical roots to understand global warming/climate change.]
What are climate models missing?
By Judith Curry, Climate Etc., Jun 16, 2013
http://judithcurry.com/2013/06/16/what-are-climate-models-missing/#more-11895
Expanding the Orthodoxy
Various Adaptation Efforts Are Under Way at Key Natural Resource Management Agencies
By Staff Writers, GAO, May 31, 2013 [H/t Timothy Wise]
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-13-253
[SEPP Comment: Basing an adaptation policy on climate model projections is wrong. Adaptation should built on experienced weather events, plus a slight century-long sea level rise.]
UNexpectedly, climate change is a global yawn
By Tony Thomas, Quadrant, Jun 19, 2013
http://www.quadrant.org.au/blogs/doomed-planet/2013/06/unexpectedly-climate-change-is-a-global-yawn
[SEPP Comment: Another poll, valuable only to politicians, but this one is by the UN!]
Lowering Standards
4º Turn Down the Heat
Climate Extremes, Regional Impacts, and the Case for Resilience
The World Bank, By Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and Climate Analytics, June 2013
Questioning European Green
Politicians question the precautionary principle
By Martin Livermore, Scientific Alliance, Jun 21, 2013
Coalition divided over wind power: report says ‘stop building turbines’
By Staff Writers, Dutch News, Jun 19, 2013 [H/t IWAG]
http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2013/06/coalition_divided_over_wind_po.php
Germany’s Green Plan is Crumbling
By Walter Russell Mead, Via Meadia, Jun 15, 2013
http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2013/06/15/germanys-green-plan-is-crumbling/
Germany’s Siemens completely winds down solar business
By Staff Writers, De Wield, Jun 17, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
http://www.dw.de/germanys-siemens-completely-winds-down-solar-business/a-16886900
[SEPP Comment: Further evidence of the correctness of Feynman’s statement: For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled. Public relations can fool politicians and the public, but not Nature.]
Wind power has failed to deliver what it promised
The wind-power industry is expensive, passes costs on to the consumer and does not create many jobs in return
Editorial, Telegraph, UK, Jun 15, 2013 [H/t Timothy Wise]
Tilting at windmills
Germany’s Energiewende bodes ill for the country’s European leadership
Special Report, Economist, Jun 15, 2013
[SEPP Comment: Germany’s energy change is failing, therefore it should be implemented by the EU?]
Green Job Fantasies
The data is in: more Green jobs means less real ones
By Jo Nova, Her Blog, Jun 18, 2013
http://joannenova.com.au/2013/06/the-data-is-in-more-green-jobs-means-less-real-ones/#more-28909
The Green Jobs Fairy Tale
By Donna Laframboise, NFC, Jun 18, 2013
http://nofrakkingconsensus.com/2013/06/18/the-green-jobs-fairy-tale/
Funding Sources
The Global Climate Change Initiative (GCCI): Budget Authority and Request, FY2010-FY2014
By Richard Lattanzio, CRS, May 28, 2013
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R41845.pdf
International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)
By Richard Lattanzio, CRS, Jun 3, 2013
http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/210680.pdf
Since its inception, GEF has allocated $11.5 billion—supplemented by more than $57 billion in cofinancing—for more than 3,200 projects in over 165 countries.
International Climate Change Financing: The Climate Investment Funds (CIFs)
By Richard Lattanzio, CRS, Jun 3, 2013 [H/t Timothy Wise]
http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/210682.pdf
[SEPP Comment on all of the above: US and other countries, especially Japan and the UK, funding of various climate change schemes in developing countries.]
Communicating Better to the Public – Exaggerate, or be Vague?
Crony Environmentalism: Insurance Firms Exploit Climate Fears to Raise Rates
If your rates have gone up, ask if your provider is factoring “climate change” into your bill.
By Tim Ball, PJ Media, Jun 15, 2013
[SEPP Comment: Using climate alarmism to increase profits.]
Climate debate shifting to adaptation
Even Al Gore writes about coping with rising seas and temperatures as well as cutting emissions.
By Seth Borenstein, AP, Jun 15, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
http://www.pressherald.com/news/nationworld/climate-debate-shifting-to-adaptation-_2013-06-16.html
Biologists worried by starving migratory birds, seen as tied to climate change
By Darryl Fears, Washington Post, Jun 19, 2013
[SEPP Comment: Is global warming tacked on in an effort to get government funding?]
Communicating Better to the Public – Make things up.
Climate change threatens trouble in the near future, World Bank says
By Howard Schneider, Washington Post, Jun 18, 2013 [H/t Conrad Potemra]
[SEPP Comment: This article clearly illustrates that global warming alarmism is a major impediment to alleviating poverty.]
International threats and opportunities of climate change for the UK
By Staff writers, PWC,
May global temperatures third warmest on record: US
By Staff Writers, Washington (AFP), June 20, 2013
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/May_global_temperatures_third_warmest_on_record_US_999.html
[SEPP Comment: What percentage of the measuring sites date back to the 1880s?]
NOAA follies continue: May global numbers out of line with RSS/UAH and even GISS
By Joseph D’Aleo, Weatherbell Analytics, Jun 20, 2013
[SEPP Comment: See link immediately above.]
NCDC’s irreconcilable temperatures in the May 2013 State of the Climate Report
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Jun 20, 2013
Have We Run Out of Time Yet?
By Donna Laframboise, NFC , Jun 16, 2013
http://nofrakkingconsensus.com/2013/06/16/have-we-run-out-of-time-yet/
[SEPP Comment: Highlighting false claims of looming danger.]
Climate change to threaten UK food supplies
By Staff Writer, RTCC, Jun 17, 2013
http://www.rtcc.org/climate-change-to-threaten-uk-food-supplies/
How data revisionism hypes global warming
By Christopher Monckton, WUWT, Jun 15, 2013
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/06/15/how-data-revisionism-hypes-global-warming/
Communicating Better to the Public – Go Personal.
The pathologising of climate scepticism
The shoddy science of sceptic-bashing attempts to turn criticism into a psychological illness.
By Ben Pile, Spiked, Jun 18, 2013 [H/t Climate Etc.]
http://www.spiked-online.com/site/article/13716/
Lewandowsky shows that the academic institutions do not produce dialogue that has any more merit than the petty exchanges — flame wars –that the internet is famous for. Dressing political arguments up in scientific terminology risks the value of science being lost to society — its potential squandered for an edge in a political fight.
Models v. Observations
The Limits to Panic
By Bjørn Lomborg, Project Syndicate, Jun 17, 2013
http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/economic-growth-and-its-critics-by-bj-rn-lomborg
Modeling Flaws Plague Climate Science
By Doug Hoffman, The Resilient Earth, Jun 16,, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
http://theresilientearth.com/?q=content/modeling-flaws-plague-climate-science
Statistical Issues
An Ensemble Of Models Is Completely Meaningful, Statistically: Update 2
By William Briggs, His Blog, Jun 20, 2013
http://wmbriggs.com/blog/?p=8394
Brown out
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Jun 21, 2013
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2013/6/21/brown-out.html
Changing Weather
NH ski resorts got 2.5M plus visitors in 2012/13
Comment by ICECAP, Jun 19, 2013
http://icecap.us/index.php/go/they-said-it/nh_ski_resorts_got_25m_plus_visitors_in_2012_13/
[SEPP Comment: Nature contradicts the scientists who claimed snow is disappearing in New Hampshire.]
Vanishing Snow: Should there be A Law?
By Steve Goreham, Washington Times, Jun 18, 2013
Britain ‘faces decade of bad weather’
By Staff Writers, London (AFP), June 19, 2013
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Britain_faces_decade_of_bad_weather_999.html
Global Savings: Billion-Dollar Weather Events Averted by Global Warming
By Chip Knappenberger, Master Resource, Jun 21, 2013
http://www.masterresource.org/2013/06/global-savings-from-global-warming/#more-26248
[SEPP Comment: An amusing twist. If global warming is the cause of an increase intensity and frequency of storms, than the lack of it must be the cause of a decrease in intensity and frequency of storms. Of course, neither need to be true.]
NASA’s 2013 HS3 Hurricane Mission to Delve into Saharan Dust
By Robert Gutro for Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt MD (SPX), Jun 19, 2013
Washout 2012 summer, melty Greenland ‘nothing to do with Arctic ice or warm oceans’
Could have been ‘natural variability’
By Lewis page, The Register, Jun 19, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/06/19/wet_summer_and_greenland_not_caused_by_arctic_cap/
Link to paper: Atmospheric and oceanic climate forcing of the exceptional Greenland ice sheet surface melt in summer 2012
By Edward Hanna, et al., International Journal of Climatology, Jun 14, 2013
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/joc.3743/abstract
Changing Climate
Global cooling as significant as global warming
By Staff Writers, Newcastle, UK (SPX), Jun 21, 2013
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Global_cooling_as_significant_as_global_warming_999.html
Changing Seas
Forcing The Ocean To Confess
By Willis Eschenbach, WUWT, Jun 19, 2013
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/06/19/forcing-the-ocean-to-confess/
Study of oceans’ past raises worries about their future
By Staff Writers, Montreal, Canada (SPX), Jun 18, 2013
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Study_of_oceans_past_raises_worries_about_their_future_999.html
Link to paper: The acceleration of oceanic denitrification during deglacial warming
By Eric D. Galbraith,Markus Kienast & The NICOPP working group members, Nature Geoscience, Jun 2, 2013
http://www.nature.com/ngeo/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ngeo1832.html
Changing Cryosphere – Land / Sea Ice
Who Dares to Deny Arctic Warming?
By Roy Spencer, His Blog, Jun 17, 2013
http://www.drroyspencer.com/2013/06/who-dares-to-deny-arctic-warming/
[SEPP Comment: A bit of history.]
Jet stream changes cause climatically exceptional Greenland Ice Sheet melt
By Staff Writers, Sheffield, UK (SPX), Jun 19, 2013
Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress
By Ronald O’Rourke, CRS, Jun 7, 2013
http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/210676.pdf
[SEPP Comment: Doubtful the author read the book Spencer describes above.]
Changing Earth
Water is no lubricant
By Staff Writers, Potsdam, Germany (SPX), Jun 17, 2013
http://www.spacemart.com/reports/Water_is_no_lubricant_999.html
Link to Letter: Small effect of water on upper-mantle rheology based on silicon self-diffusion coefficients.
By Fei, et al., Nature, Jun 12, 2013
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v498/n7453/full/nature12193.html
[SEPP Comment: For plate tectonics; does it apply on the claim that water will cause ice sheets to slide over rough terrain?]
Acidic Waters
Natural Underwater Springs Show How Coral Reefs Respond to Ocean Acidification
Ocean acidification reduces the density of coral skeletons, making them more vulnerable
By Staff Writers, NSF, Jun 17, 2013
http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=128243
Unable to find link to paper in PNAS index.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. In fiscal year (FY) 2012, its budget was $7.0 billion.
[SEPP Comment: In spite of a $7 billion budget, NSF issues a press release discussing pH without a single pH number.]
Ocean acidification killing oysters by inhibiting shell formation
By Staff Writers, Washington DC (SPX), Jun 17, 2013
Link to paper: A developmental and energetic basis linking larval oyster shell formation to acidification sensitivity
By George G. Waldbusse, et al., GRL, May 29, 2013
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/grl.50449/abstract
[SEPP Comment: Again, no specifics.]
Agriculture Issues & Fear of Famine
How CO2 helped crops in the severe drought summer of 2012
By Joseph D’Aleo, Weatherbell Analytics, Jun 10, 2013
[SEPP Comment: Although by Palmer Hydrological Drought Index, the 2012 drought was more severe than the 1988 drought, yields were higher and, measured in 2012 dollars, the losses were less.]
For longer life and less cancer: Pesticides!?
By Gil Ross, ACSH, Jun 13, 2013
http://hsdispatch.com/2013/06/13/for-longer-life-and-less-cancer-pesticides/
New report identifies ‘regret-free’ approaches for adapting agriculture to climate change
By Staff Writers, Bonn, Germany (SPX), Jun 19, 2013
Link to report: Addressing uncertainty in adaptation planning for agriculture
By Vermeulen, et al, PNAS, May 21, 2013
http://www.pnas.org/content/110/21/8357
Review of Recent Scientific Articles by NIPCC
For a full list of articles see www.NIPCCreport.org
How Corals Are Able to Tolerate Significant Seawater Acidification
Reference: Venn, A.A., Tambutte, E., Holcomb, M., Laurent, J., Allemand, D. and Tambutte, S. 2013. Impact of seawater acidification on pH at the tissue-skeleton interface and calcification in reef corals. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 110: 1634-1639.
http://nipccreport.org/articles/2013/jun/18jun2013a1.html
[SEPP Comment: Only observed decrease in calcification was at pH of 7.2, the lowest tested.]
The Effect of Elevated CO2 on Tomato Plant Lateral Root Growth
Reference: Wang, H., Xiao, W., Niu, Y., Jin, C., Chai, R., Tang, C. and Zhang, Y. 2013. Nitric oxide enhances development of lateral roots in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) under elevated carbon dioxide. Planta 237: 137-144.
http://nipccreport.org/articles/2013/jun/18jun2013a2.html
Another Test of CMIP5 Models: What Problems Were Detected?
Reference: Santer, B.D., Painter, J.F., Mears, C.A., Doutriaux, C., Caldwell, P., Arblaster, J.M., Cameron-Smith, P.J., Gillett, N.P., Gleckler, P.J., Lanzante, J., Perlwitz, J., Solomon, S., Stott, P.A., Taylor, K.E., Terray, L., Thorne, P.W., Wehner, M.F., Wentz, F.J., Wigley, T.M.L., Wilcox, L.J. and Zou, C.-Z. 2013. Identifying human influences on atmospheric temperature. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 110: 26-33.
http://nipccreport.org/articles/2013/jun/18jun2013a3.html
Negative Effects of Salinity on Barley: Overcoming the Stress with CO2
Reference: Perez-Lopez, U., Robredo, A., Miranda-Apodaca, J., Lacuesta, M., Munoz-Rueda, A. and Mena-Petite, A. 2013. Carbon dioxide enrichment moderates salinity-induced effects on nitrogen acquisition and assimilation and their impact on growth in barley plants. Environmental and Experimental Botany 87: 148-158
http://nipccreport.org/articles/2013/jun/18jun2013a4.html
Litigation Issues
Environmental, health groups sue over delayed smog rule
By Julian Hattem, The Hill, Jun 19, 2013
How Green Groups Make the EPA Issue New Rules
By suing the agency—which often settles—green advocates have compelled it to issue a raft of regulations.
By Coral Davenport, National Journal, Jun 13, 2013
http://www.nationaljournal.com/magazine/how-green-groups-make-the-epa-issue-new-rules-20130613
Cap-and-Trade and Carbon Taxes
Is a Carbon Tax a Conservative Idea Whose Time Has Come? Thoughts on the R Street – Heartland Debate
By Marlo Lewis, Global Warming.org, Jun 16, 2013
Subsidies and Mandates Forever
Even Big-Oil is begging for Big-Green subsidies
By Jo Nova, Her Blog, Jun 19, 2013
http://joannenova.com.au/2013/06/even-big-oil-is-begging-for-big-green-subsidies/
The Ethanol Mandate: Don’t Mend It, End It
By Nicolas Loris, Heritage Foundation, Jun 12, 2013
http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2013/06/the-ethanol-mandate-dont-mend-it-end-it?qwerty
EPA and other Regulators on the March
Carbon (And Practically Everything Else) Just Got More Expensive
By David Kreutzer and Katie Tubb, The Foundry, Jun 13, 2013
http://blog.heritage.org/2013/06/13/carbon-just-got-more-expensive/
White House, EPA at odds over savings produced by emissions regulations
How much do new regulations cost? It depends on whom you ask.
By Julian Hattem, The Hill, Jun 16, 2013
Energy Issues – Non-US
Most coal must stay in ground to save climate: report
By Staff Writers, Sydney (AFP), June 17, 2013
http://www.energy-daily.com/reports/Most_coal_must_stay_in_ground_to_save_climate_report_999.html
[SEPP Comment: The Australian Climate Commission has spoken! So much for Australia’s exports to China.]
As U.S. production soars, oil companies eye far horizons
By Harry Weber, Fuel Fix, Jun 18, 2013
http://fuelfix.com/blog/2013/06/18/as-u-s-production-soars-oil-companies-eye-far-horizons/
[SEPP Comment: Even as knowledge and technology expand, going deep is limited to those with deep pockets.]
Energy Issues — US
Energy Policy: 113th Congress Issues
By Carl Behrens, CRS, May 30, 2013
http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/210669.pdf
Washington’s Control of Energy
Tell Obama: There’s No Climate Change To Fight
Editorial, IBD, Jun 17, 2013
http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/061713-660284-obama-rolls-out-climate-measures-in-july.htm
Obama Readying Emissions Limits on Power Plants
By John Broder, NYT, Jun 19, 2013 [H/t Timothy Wise]
Railroading the Keystone XL pipeline
An Obama-Buffett connection could keep crude rolling by rail
By William Triplett, Washington Times, Jun 19, 2013
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jun/19/railroading-the-keystone-xl-pipeline/
Oil and Natural Gas – the Future or the Past?
EPA Covers Up The Safety Of Fracking
Editorial, IBD, Jun 21, 2013
[SEPP Comment: The wells in Wyoming were not for deep underground fracturing of shale.]
Fracking is too risky in a national forest
Editorial, The Virginian-Pilot, June 16, 2013 [H/t Timothy Wise]
http://hamptonroads.com/2013/06/fracking-too-risky-national-forest
[SEPP Comment: EPA’s mission on hydraulic fracturing accomplished – scare the easily frightened.
Oil Spills, Gas Leaks & Consequences
DOJ, Arkansas sue Exxon for pipeline spill
By Timothy Gardner and David Sheppard, Reuters, Jun 13, 2013
http://news.yahoo.com/u-arkansas-sue-exxon-over-pegasus-pipeline-spill-192859563.html
Alternative, Green (“Clean”) Solar and Wind
America Should Learn from Europe on Wind Power
By Staff Writers, NCPA, Jun 20, 2013
Houston to buy half its power from renewable sources
By Jeannie Kever, Fuel Fix, Jun 20, 2013
http://fuelfix.com/blog/2013/06/20/houston-to-buy-half-of-its-electricity-from-renewable-sources/
[SEPP Comment: It will be interesting to see how this works out in summer afternoons and evenings when demand is the greatest and nature does not cooperate, the winds die down.]
Hazy, Lazy Reporting
By Donn Dears, Power for USA, Jun 18, 2013
http://dddusmma.wordpress.com/2013/06/18/hazy-lazy-reporting/
American Lung Association’s misguided support for wind energy
By Staff Writer, IWAG, Jun 18, 2013
http://www.windaction.org/faqs/38608
Moniz: No worries, the DOE is going to keep “aggressively pursuing” more solar energy projects
By Erika Johnsen, Hot Air, Jun 17, 2013 [H/t Timothy Wise]
[SEPP Comment: Cost is only a part of the issue, the major issue is reliability when needed the most. Is DOE going to tame nature?]
The German Solar Disaster: 21 Billon Euros Burned
By Thiemo Heeg, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Trans. Philipp Mueller, GWPF, Jun 19, 2013
http://www.thegwpf.org/german-solar-disaster-21-billion-euros-burned/
Special Report Part 3 – Whyalla Solar a lesson in markets
By Tristan Edis, Climate Spectator, Jun 14, 2013
Alternative, Green (“Clean”) Energy — Other
Dam construction to reduce greenhouse gases causes ecosystem disruption
By Staff Writers, Corvallis OR (SPX), Jun 21, 2013
[SEPP Comment: Belaboring the obvious, whatever the purpose.]
Alternative, Green (“Clean”) Vehicles
Electric Cars: The Environmentalist Paradox
By Staff Writer, NCPA, Jun 18, 2013
California Dreaming
Greenbacks Beat the Greens in Ubergreen California
By Marita Noon, Energy Tribune, Jun 20, 2013
Health, Energy, and Climate
Health groups tell Michelle Obama: Conserve land to prevent obesity
By Julian Hattem, The Hill, Jun 20, 2013
[SEPP Comment: Mandatory physical exercise in public schools would be more effective.]
Other Scientific News
The bad science scandal: how fact-fabrication is damaging UK’s global name for research
After a string of high-profile cases, a new agreement between scientists and the people who fund them aims to usher in a new era of ‘research purity’
By John Lawless, The Independent, Jun 16, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
[SEPP Comment: Emphasizing the critical need that studies must be independently reproduced before they are accepted as part of public policy.]
Most species originate in the tropics
By Luboš Motl, The Reference Frame, Jun 18, 2013
http://motls.blogspot.com/2013/06/most-species-originate-in-tropics.html#more
[SEPP Comment: Yet many claim a warming world will be harmful to most species.]
Stone Age technological and cultural innovation accelerated by climate
By Staff Writers, Barcelona, Germany, (SPX) Jun 19, 2013
China’s long march in space
By Zhao Gang, Beijing (XNA), Jun 16, 2013
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Chinas_long_march_in_space_999.html
Other News that May Be of Interest
Halos and contrails: Is there a connection?
By Cliff Mass, His Blog, Jun 15, 2013
http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2013/06/halos-and-contrails-is-there-connection.html
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BELOW THE BOTTOM LINE:
Quite possibly the dumbest example of ‘Tabloid Climatology’ ever from Climate Central’s Andrew Freedman
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Jun 18, 2013
Why you should care about Solar Impulse and renewable energy’s long, long journey
By Dominic Basulto, Washington Post, Jun 18, 2013
[SEPP Comment: A great publicity stunt. Imagine scheduling commercial airline flights on reliably predicting sunshine.]
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By Ken Haapala, Executive Vice President, Science and Environmental Policy Project (SEPP)
Temperature Debate:
“The issue is: Has there been any global warming since 1978? Nielsen-Gammon asserts there has and Singer asserts there is no convincing evidence since that time. One issue is that there has been warming of the northern part of the northern hemisphere, but is that really global?”
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Pretty funny, when you think about the Mannian knee-jerk reaction in which every paleoclimatic proxy showing the Holocene Optimum, Minoan, Roman & Medieval Warm Periods is dismissed as limited to parts of the Northern Hemisphere, despite all actual evidence to the contrary.
Hail Konrad Lorenz, a true scientist.
I wanna hear the wabbit apologize … but then again maybe he is better off just ‘stewing in his own juices’ on an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ ‘blog to nowhere’ …
.
Here, Here! Madam Curry. They need to take it back to formula.
20 June: McClatchy: Marisa Taylor/Jonathan S. Landay Obama’s crackdown views leaks as aiding enemies of U.S.
President Barack Obama’s unprecedented initiative, known as the Insider Threat Program, is sweeping in its reach. It has received scant public attention even though it extends beyond the U.S. national security bureaucracies to most federal departments and agencies nationwide, including the Peace Corps, the Social Security Administration and the Education and Agriculture departments…
***An online tutorial titled “Treason 101” teaches Department of Agriculture and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration employees to recognize the psychological profile of spies…
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/06/20/194513/obamas-crackdown-views-leaks-as.html#
Singer gave one of the worst responses, not much of a debate. Decent question poor answer. Says question is about 78 to present then proceeds to mention everything but that time. His opponent was correct in pointing out the picking of select times. Only barely motioned current leveling. If this was my only exposure to this I would have to go with CAGW. Came across as spreading FUD.
Good thing I read more than just his debates.