The Week That Was: 2015-03-14 (March 14, 2015) Brought to You by SEPP (www.SEPP.org) The Science and Environmental Policy Project
THIS WEEK: By Ken Haapala, President, Science and Environmental Policy Project (SEPP)
Witch Hunt Intensified: Immediately after President Obama’s successful re-election, his campaign organization was transformed into an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) non-profit organization named Organization for Action (OFA). The IRS quickly granted OFA its non-profit status as a 501-c-4 organization, even though the IRS consistently held up such non-profit status for political opponents.
On March 5, OFA sent letters to various scientists, and others, over the President’s signature, claiming that the biggest obstacle to fighting climate change (what used to be called global warming) is political. The letter, states the subject is “Stand up for science,” and states that OFA’s web site has identified certain politicians as climate change deniers and urges the recipients to take action. A key point made in the letter is:
“We need to listen to our friends at NASA and the 97 percent of climate scientists who agree that climate change is real, man-made, and happening right now. Now is the time for serious action, not excuses or outright denial.”
As of the morning of March 15, Eastern US time, the letter was no longer on the web site of OFA. However, on the web site Master Resource, nuclear engineer James Rust posted a copy similar to the one SEPP had received from another source, including the critical sentences cited above.
SEPP reviewed three surveys that contained a phrase similar to “97 percent of climate scientists.” It found significant misrepresentation and/or manipulation by those producing the results, after the surveys. For example, the survey published in Eos was sent to over 10,000 geoscientists, to which over 3,000 responded. Yet, the individuals responsible for the survey emphasized the responses of only 79. Of these, 77 were reported to be convinced that global warming was real threat and man-made.
This is not to say that those reporting the results of these surveys, or the editors of the journals publishing the results, intended that they are used for such blatant political purposes, which is secondary. What is of primary concern is that surveys of such low quality are published in scientific journals and that these surveys are being used to promote the expansion of central government-powers. See links under Suppressing Scientific Inquiry – The Witch Hunt and The 97% myth began in 2009 in EOS, a publication by the American Geophysical Union, and The Myth of a Global Warming Consensus. By Joseph Bast and Taylor Smith, Heartland, May 14, 2014 http://heartland.org/policy-documents/research-commentary-myth-global-warming-consensus]
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Quote of the Week: “It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong” Voltaire, 1752, H/t Charles Battig
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Number of the Week: 1.4 Billion Years
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Push-Back: The three Senators on the Witch Hunt sent a letter to CATO demanding information on sources for funding for projects they do not like. CATO’s Patrick Michaels posted the response by John Allison, President and CEO of CATO, which was polite but appropriate. Prior to becoming President of CATO, Allison was President and CEO of BB&T, a bank that did not fall for any of the games played by federal enterprises underwriting mortgage loans for those with poor credit (which was politically fashionable under the Clinton and Bush administrations). Nor did BB&T fall for the subsequent games played by politicians blaming banks for the substandard loans that failed. Among other points, Allison cites the op-ed by Richard Lindzen “The Political Assault on Climate Skeptics” which appeared in the Wall Street Journal and was discussed in the March 7 TWTW. Lindzen is now a distinguished senior fellow at CATO. Perhaps other organizations will respond to these Senators in a similar fashion and point out to the Senators’ abuse of authority. See link under Suppressing Scientific Inquiry – The Witch Hunt – Push-Back.
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NASA: According to reports in a hearing on NASA’s budget US Senator Ted Cruz, chairman of the Senate Space, Science, and Competitiveness Subcommittee was unimpressed with NASA Administrator Charles Bolden’s answer to what is the core mission of NASA. Bolden stated: “Our core mission from the very beginning has been to investigate, explore space and the Earth environment, and to help us make this place a better place.” Apparently, Cruz was not impressed with the answer involving earth sciences and responded that “Almost any American would agree that the core function of NASA is to explore space.” “That’s what inspires little boys and little girls across this country … and you know that I am concerned that NASA in the current environment has lost its full focus on that core mission.”
NASA has become an organization promoting fear of global warming/climate change. For example, in press releases making questionable temperature claims, NASA uses incomplete earth surface instruments, which are subject to many human influences, rather than using far more comprehensive satellite instruments, which are calculated by two different, competing, organizations and independently verified by data from weather balloons. This budget year may become an interesting one. See links under The Political Games Continue.
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The Sun Moves? In spite in of the political bullying coming from Washington, increasingly, papers appear that call into question the entire foundation of claims that humans are primarily responsible for global warming, now called climate change.
One such paper is by Nir Shaviv, an IBM Einstein Fellow and Member of the School of Natural Sciences at the Institute of Advanced Studies in Princeton. On his web site, Science Bits, Shaviv explains how he and his colleagues are exploring the hypothesis: “that the 32 million year oscillation of the solar system perpendicular to the galactic plane can clearly be seen in the paleoclimate data.” This work builds on the work by Henrik Svensmark, and others, on the solar-cosmic ray hypothesis that the changing number of high-energy cosmic rays hitting the earth atmosphere changes the earth’s temperatures by changing cloud cover. See links under Science: Is the Sun Rising? Not for everyone.
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The Atmosphere Changes? Another interesting paper on natural variation of temperatures is discussed by Judith Curry on her web site, Climate Etc. This paper discusses the reflective ability of the earth, albedo, to scatter incoming solar energy back into space. As suggested immediately above, the major mechanism is changing clouds. Clouds are one of the important feedback mechanisms for stabilizing the earth’s temperatures. As Curry states:
“Planetary albedo is a fundamental element of the Earth’s climate. This paper implies the presence of a stabilizing feedback between atmosphere/ocean circulations, clouds and radiation. Climate models do not capture this stabilizing feedback.
The results of this paper also have interesting implications for ice ages, whereby the forcing that is predominant in one hemisphere is felt in the other.
The failure of models to reproduce this hemisphere synchronicity raises interesting implications regarding the fidelity of climate model-derived sensitivity to CO2.”
If this paper holds up to analysis, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the US Climate Change Research Program, (USCCRP) and the EPA need to redo their prior work and recognize their assertions of certainty in the science and the models are wrong. Most of modern global warming/climate change is not caused by human emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) but by natural variations, the critical part of climate science which governments have failed to understand and fund.
As stated in prior TWTWs, of the more than $35 Billion the US has spent on climate science since fiscal year 1993, according to government reports, SEPP has found no major expenditures on the natural causes of climate change. See links under Challenging the Orthodoxy.
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Becoming More Silly? In his op-ed “The Political Assault on Climate Skeptics” discussed in the March 7 TWTW and above, Richard Lindzen states: “Actually, the move from “global warming” to “climate change” indicated the silliness of this issue. The climate has been changing since the Earth was formed. This normal course is now taken to be evidence of doom.”
Now both Vice President Biden and Secretary of State Kerry are testing a new slogan for the Administration: “Denying global warming is like denying gravity.” SEPP must agree. Climate change is natural for the earth. The critical issue is that the Administration implies that by controlling CO2 emissions, the world’s governments can stop climate change. Before incurring the enormous expense of abandoning fossil fuels, the Administration should demonstrate it can stop gravity. See links under Defending the Orthodoxy.
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Even More Silly? The Wall Street Journal quotes by remarks Robert J. Papp Jr., U.S. special representative for the Arctic and retired Coast Guard admiral, to the Brookings Institution on March 12:
A very bright young lady within my office who is a big fan of Disney, the movie “Frozen” . . . she suggested that we need to start teaching the youth about the Arctic, and perhaps having some public-service announcements done with the Disney characters from the movie “Frozen”—you know, Anna and Elsa and Sven and Olaf—I know these because I have granddaughters and I watch the movie all the time. . . . I had gone out to Disney in Los Angeles to meet with them, and I didn’t think my marketing through very well, and I said, “You’ve taught all these kids around the world about a fantasy Arctic city in Norway, a kingdom that doesn’t really exist and conditions that don’t really exist.” I said, “You need to start teaching them about the plight of the polar bear, and Alaskan villages that are falling into the ocean because the permafrost is thawing,” and I went on with a list of other things. And I could see this guy was becoming more and more concerned, and then he said, “Admiral, you might not understand. Our culture here at Disney is to project positive images and happy endings.” And he’s right. But how do you turn that into finding some happy endings for our Arctic as well?
Now we know how the Administration gets some of its bright ideas on global warming/climate change. The link is behind a paywall: http://www.wsj.com/articles/notable-quotable-frozen-2-the-perilous-thawing-permafrost-1426205492
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Bank of England: In giving evidence to the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee on March 10, Dr Mark Carney, the Governor of the Bank of England had an exchange with Lord Lawson:
Starting with Lawson:
“Last week, the Deputy Head of the PRA – which is part of the Bank of England – gave a speech to an insurance conference in which he warned them of the huge risk from their fossil fuel investments. I’m puzzled for two reasons.
The first is that the International Energy Agency, which is the most highly regarded forecaster in this sector, forecast that over the next 25 years fossil fuel demand – so far from collapsing – is likely to increase. That’s their central forecast. So, the first question is what does the Bank of England know that the International Energy Agency doesn’t know about the energy sector?
The other is, although the economy is now doing very much better, there are a whole lot of remaining problems in the financial sector – some of which you alluded to in your opening statement others of which we’ve discussed this afternoon. Wouldn’t it be better if you focused your attention on those instead of engaging in green claptrap?
Dr Mark Carney: It’s absolutely essential that we discharge our responsibilities to protect policy holders of the insurance industry. In the property and casualty business, in the re-insurance business, one of the top risks is climate change. That is the assessed risk of those institutions with money on the line. Understanding those risks, making sure they are properly reserved, making sure the potential tail elements are properly understood – because insurance is very much about the tails – is absolutely essential to discharge our responsibilities to oversee and supervise the third largest insurance market in the world, which is one of the strengths of the City of London.
As discussed in TWTW on February 28, the two largest re-insurance companies in the world, Munich Re and Swiss Re, reported that 2014 was benign for losses from natural disasters and overall losses are declining.
The Bank of England claiming it will protect policy holders in the insurance industry for losses from natural disasters is somewhat similar to Federal government enterprises assuring the government will protect banks and investors from losses in sub-prime mortgages. See links under Lowering Standards.
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Additions and Corrections: The March 7 TWTW pointed out that energy economist Mark Perry calculated that from 2008 to the end of 2014 employment in Texas grew by 13.4%. Much of this increase came from increased oil and gas production (Perry only used oil). Perry calculated that during the same period, without Texas, US employment in the other 49 states fell 0.20%. TWTW pointed out that this fall in employment is in spite of the so-called 2009 “stimulus bill” which, including subsequent deficit spending, greatly increased national debt.
Several readers inquired how much did the US debt increase? From September 30, 2008 to September 30, 2014 US national debt grew from $10.025 Trillion to $17.824 Trillion (over 70%). Please note that the time periods are not the same. The employment data is for the calendar years but the debt data is for US government fiscal years.
The issue is the same: Which is better for the public, a “stimulus bill” which increases debt and does not increase employment, or the “stimulus drill” which requires no subsidies and increases productivity and employment? TWTW deeply appreciates questions and corrections. See the March 7 TWTW and http://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/histdebt/histdebt_histo5.htm.
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Number of the Week: 1.4 Billion Years. A study performed on marine sediments from North China shows that climate change has been occurring for at least 1.4 billion years. Changes in wind strength, rainfall, and ocean circulation, translated into cyclic variations in sediment geochemistry. If the study stands up, then natural climate change has been occurring before and during appearance of multi-cell animals, sea creatures, land animals, primates, genus homo, humans, etc. All of which evolved during era of climate change. The Administration is insisting that climate change is harmful to humanity? See links under Challenging the Orthodoxy.
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ARTICLES:
Please note that articles that are not linked or summarized here are reproduced in the Articles Section of the full TWTW that can be found on the web site under the date of the TWTW.
1. Biofuels Groups Clash on Seeking Revamped Fuel Standards
Industry has been pressured by lower oil prices and regulatory uncertainty
By Amy Harder, WSJ, Mar 11, 2015
[SUMMARY: The Biofuels industry was created by subsidies and governments mandates. Now that it is apparent the US is not running out of oil and fuel prices are falling, there is an intense struggle going one between competing groups on how to craft a new federal biofuel standard [which is not needed]. In addition to traditional corn-based ethanol, the “Advanced Biofuels Association, a Washington-based trade group representing about 30 companies developing biofuels from non-corn products, on Wednesday began a campaign asking Congress to revamp renewable-fuel-standard policies to include products made from municipal solid waste, plant material and biogas.” The ethanol industry claims including these fuels adds uncertainty. SEPP Comment: let them all enjoy the certainty/uncertainty of the market, rather than the uncertainty of government regulations and the expense of lobbying.]
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2. Four Years After Fukushima Nuclear Accident, Farmers Struggle for Viability
Consumers remain wary of radiation, prompting some to sell crops below market rates
By Mari Iwata, WSJ, Mar 9, 2015
[SUMMARY: The fear of radiation is causing crops from the Fukushima region to sell far below standard market prices. “The average price of peaches from Fukushima, formerly considered a delicacy, is about 30% lower than the national average. Agricultural output, by official numbers, stood at ¥205 billion ($1.7 billion) in 2013, down 12% from 2010, but that figure is probably exaggerated because it calculates the value of the prefecture’s rice using a national standard, not the reduced prices Fukushima farmers are getting.” SEPP Comment: Apparently, this fear has nothing to do with actual radiation in the foods, which is insignificant.]
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3. High Voltage
The Energizer battery was a close descendant of a rechargeable lead-acid one invented in 1859. The science had barely changed.
By Liam Denning, WSJ Mar 12, 2015
http://www.wsj.com/articles/book-review-the-powerhouse-by-steve-levine-1426203492
Book review of The Powerhouse by Steve LeVine
[SUMMARY: An optimistic, quick review of a book focused on some of the recent developments in the quest to build an affordable, heavy-duty battery for vehicles, etc.
“We learn that the first rechargeable lithium battery to hit the market, in the late 1970s, came from Exxon Mobil, of all places. But lithium is volatile and apt to burst into flames. It took research under the direction of the modestly named John Goodenough at the University of Oxford to add the critical element of cobalt to the mix, paving the way for the lithium-ion batteries that power the device on which you might be reading this review.”
“There is plenty of fodder here for both enthusiasts of new forms of energy and those wary of the hype. Thomas Edison, not ordinarily one to dismiss the potential of science’s light-bulb moments, warned in 1883 that rechargeable batteries were “a mechanism for swindling the public by stock companies.”]
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NEWS YOU CAN USE:
Science: Is the Sun Rising?
Sights from a Field Trip in the Milky Way: From Paleoclimatology to Dark Matter
By Nir Shaviv, Science Bits, Mar 11, 2015
http://www.sciencebits.com/sights-field-trip-milky-way
Link to paper: Sights from a Field Trip in the Milky Way: From Paleoclimatology to Dark Matter
By Nir Shaviv, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, 2015
https://www.ias.edu/ias-letter/2015/shaviv-milky-way
Cosmic Rays Affect Global Temperatures Says Research
By Staff Writer, Reporting Climate Science, Mar 10, 2015 [H/t GWPF]
Link to paper: Dynamical evidence for causality between galactic cosmic rays and interannual variation in global temperature
By Tsonis, et al, PNAS, Mar 2, 2015
http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2015/02/23/1420291112#aff-1
Climategate Continued
How Mann tricked Weaver
By Steve McIntyre, Climate Audit, Mar 11, 2015
http://climateaudit.org/2015/03/11/how-mann-tricked-weaver/#more-20768
Suppressing Scientific Inquiry – The Witch Hunt
Barack Goes Berserk on Climate ‘Deniers’ (gold stars for fed alarmists?)
By James Rust, Master Resource, Mar13, 2015
https://www.masterresource.org/obama-climate-policy/barack-berserk-climate-deniers/
Call out climate change deniers
Soliciting Letter, Organizing for Action, Accessed Mar 9, 2015
Letter sent over the President’s signature – Letter not available on Mar 15, 2015
Democrat’s Stifling Climate Change Discussion
By James Rust, Somewhat Reasonable, Mar 5, 2015
http://blog.heartland.org/2015/03/democrats-stifling-climate-change-discussion/
Democrats’ Global Warming Witch Hunt Continues
By Kerry Jackson, IBD, Mar 11, 2015[H/t Timothy Wise]
http://news.investors.com/blogs-capital-hill/031115-742986-senate-democrats-stalk-koch-brothers.htm
Silencing skeptics – financing alarmists
By Paul Driessen, WUWT, Mar 7, 2015
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2015/03/07/silencing-skeptics-financing-alarmists/
Suppressing Scientific Inquiry – The Witch Hunt – Push-Back
A Message from Cato’s Center for the Study of Science
By Patrick Michaels, CATO, Mar 13, 2015
http://www.cato.org/blog/message-catos-center-study-science
A big week for Voltaire
By Charles Battig, American Thinker, Mar 9, 2015
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2015/03/a_big_week_for_voltaire.html
Koch fighting climate research funding probe
By Timothy Cama, The Hill, Mar 11, 2015
Stigmatizing dissent
Editorial, Oil & Gas Journal, Mar 9, 2015
“A tough problem remains: How to rescue concern for the climate from extremism. A good first step would be to foreswear agendas driven by fear and demanding action at all cost. Related improvement would come from restoration of basic distinctions between science and political advocacy. And concentration of political attention on facts and arguments and away from personalities and motives would be welcome but perhaps too much to expect.”
Challenging the Orthodoxy
Same forces as today caused climate changes 1.4 billion years ago
Press Release, University of Southern Denmark, Mar 10, 2015 [H/t GWPF]
http://www.sdu.dk/en/Om_SDU/Fakulteterne/Naturvidenskab/Nyheder/2015_03_10_climate_cycles
Link to paper: Orbital forcing of climate 1.4 billion years ago
By Shuichang Zhang, et al. PNAS, Mar 9, 2015
http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2015/03/06/1502239112.abstract
The albedo of Earth
By Judith Curry, Climate Etc. Mar 10, 2015
http://judithcurry.com/2015/03/10/the-albedo-of-earth/
Link to paper: The albedo of Earth
By Stephens, et al, Reviews of Geophysics, accepted Jan 26, 2015
http://webster.eas.gatech.edu/Papers/albedo2015.pdf
Important paper alert
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Mar 11, 2015
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2015/3/11/important-paper-alert.html
[SEPP Comment: See links immediately above.]
Dr. Soon’s latest paper on natural climate variability published in Nature Geoscience
By Staff Writer, The Hockey Schtick, Mar 9, 2015
http://hockeyschtick.blogspot.com/2015/03/dr-soons-latest-paper-on-natural.html
Link to paper: Dynamics of the intertropical convergence zone over the western Pacific during the Little Ice Age
By Hong Yan, Wei Wei, Willie Soon, Zhisheng An, Weijian Zhou,, Zhonghui Liu, Yuhong Wang & Robert M. Carter, Nature Geoscience, Mar 9, 2015
http://www.nature.com/ngeo/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ngeo2375.html
German Physical Chemistry Scientist On Nature Article Of Proof Of CO2 Forcing: “Measurements Show Exact Opposite”
By P Gosselin, No Tricks Zone, Mar 8, 2015
New paper finds large calculation errors of solar radiation at the top of the atmosphere in climate models
By Staff Writer, The Hockey Schtick, Mar 7, 2015
http://hockeyschtick.blogspot.com/2015/03/new-paper-finds-large-calculation.html
Link to paper: On the Incident Solar Radiation in CMIP5 Models
By Zhou, Zhang, Bao, and Liu, Geophysical Research Letters, No Date
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2015GL063239/abstract
Lamb On UHI In The Arctic
By Paul Homewood, Not a Lot of People Know That, Mar 11, 2015
https://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/2015/03/11/lamb-on-uhi-in-the-arctic/
Before They Could Make The Hockey Stick, They Had To Remove The 1940’s Blip
By Steven Goddard, Real Science, Mar 12, 2015
Defending the Orthodoxy
Biden: ‘Denying global warming like denying gravity’
By Rick Moran, American Thinker, Mar 8, 2015 [H/t Timothy Wise]
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2015/03/biden_denying_global_warming_like_denying_gravity.html
Kerry: Climate Change an ‘Elementary Truth’ – Like the Laws of Gravity
By Patrick Goodenough, CNS News, Mar 12, 2015
You Can’t “Believe” in Climate Change
It’s not a religion. It’s a scientific fact.
By Rebeca Leber, New Republic, Mar 10, 2015 [H/t Timothy Wise]
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/121263/climate-change-isnt-belief-religion-its-scientific-fact
Report: Apple CEO Says Fighting Climate Change More Important Than Profits
By Peter Fricke, Daily Caller, Mar 10, 2015
[SEPP Comment: How quickly will Apple lose its privileged position as one of the most highly regarded companies in the world and, based on market capitalization, one of the most valuable? Such a loss would be from the failure of the CEO to focus on the company.]
Defending the Orthodoxy – On to Paris!
EU adopts climate change targets for Paris conference
The European Union has formally adopted its climate change targets ahead of a UN conference set for December in Paris. But debate continues on how to achieve them.
By Staff Writers, Deutsche Welle, Mar 6, 2015 [H/t GWPF]
http://www.dw.de/eu-adopts-climate-change-targets-for-paris-conference/a-18300925
How ambitious is the EU’s offer to the Paris climate change talks?
By Simon Evans, Carbon Brief, Mar 10, 2015
The coming climate court
The proposed Paris agreement is another reach for global power
By Chris Horner, Washington Times, Mar 8, 2015
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/mar/8/chris-horner-paris-climate-agreement-a-global-powe/
Questioning the Orthodoxy
Global Warming
By Walter E. Williams, Townhall, Mar 11, 2015
Setting the Record Straight
By Richard Tol, The Huffington Post, UK, Mar 10, 2015 [H/t GWPF]
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/dr-richard-tol/post_9146_b_6816124.html
Tom Wigley: The skepticism and loyalty of CRU’s second director
By Bernie Lewin, Enthusiasm, Scepticism and Science, Mar 9, 2015
[SEPP Comment: An independent view of this key person, and others, involved in converting the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) from an organization devoted to understanding all the causes of climate change to one devoted to promoting human cause of global warming by CO2 emissions. The key ingredient – money.]
More Evidence Of Climate Data Tampering By NOAA?
By Michael Bastasch, Daily Caller, Mar 9, 2015
http://dailycaller.com/2015/03/09/more-evidence-of-climate-data-tampering-by-noaa/
Minority Liberal Ideology Drives Majority Climate Science
By Anthony J. Sadar, American Thinker, Mar 11, 2015
[SEPP Comment: Discussion of political influence –liberal v. conservative with an excellent phrase: “As it becomes more apparent that long-term global climate is resilient to human activity,”]
By Donn Dears, Power For USA, Mar 13, 2015
https://dddusmma.wordpress.com/2015/03/13/people-jumping-to-conclusions/
[SEPP Comment: The conclusion that global warming was caused by human activity was premature. It is time to develop the science and explore all possibilities.]
Social Benefits of Carbon
Space technology investigates large-scale changes to Africa’s climate
By Staff Writers, Science News, Mar 5, 2015 [H/t Clyde Spencer]
“Large parts of the Sahel zone, which suffered from intense famine in the past, has greened up over the past decade, probably because of wetter weather. We know that rainfall in this region depends highly on the African monsoon.”
[SEPP Comment: The writer is guessing about the wetter weather, for which he presents no measurements. Also, the greening may be from enhanced atmospheric carbon dioxide, which is occurring.]
Problems in the Orthodoxy
Serious doubts over Europe’s GHG reduction target
By Kieran Cooke, Climate News Network, Mar 9, 2015 [H/t GWPF]
http://www.climatenewsnetwork.net/serious-doubts-europes-ghg-reduction-target/
Link to press release of report: Europe’s environment 2015: Future prosperity depends on bolder steps in policy, knowledge, investments and innovation
By Staff Writers, European Environment Agency, Mar 5, 2015
http://www.eea.europa.eu/media/newsreleases/future-prosperity-depends-on-bolder
“Europe’s environment and climate policies have delivered substantial benefits, improving the environment and quality of life, while driving innovation, job creation and growth. Despite these gains, Europe still faces a range of persistent and growing environmental challenges. Addressing them will require fundamental changes in the systems of production and consumption that are the root cause of environmental problems.” [Boldface added]
[SEPP Comment: The job creation and growth are not being realized.]
Want to save tax and “save the world” from carbon? No Thanks say 92% of Swiss
By Jo Nova, Her Blog, Mar 12, 2015
Seeking a Common Ground
Adaptive problem solving: Integral approaches to climate change
By Judith Curry, Climate Etc. Mar 12, 2015
http://judithcurry.com/2015/03/12/adaptive-problem-solving-integral-approaches-to-climate-change/
[SEPP Comment: One of the reasons climate change is a wicked problem, is that the problem is stated incorrectly.]
Big players’ and the climate science boom
By Judith Curry, Climate Etc. Ma8, 2015
http://judithcurry.com/2015/03/08/big-players-and-the-climate-science-boom/
[SEPP Comment: The herd instinct has long been recognized in investment groups.]
Notes on the APS Workshop on Climate Change
By Andy May, WUWT, Mar 12, 2015
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2015/03/12/notes-on-the-aps-workshop-on-climate-change/
The Price of Biodiversity
Bjørn Lomborg, Project Syndicate, Mar 12, 2015
Review of Recent Scientific Articles by CO2 Science
Both Genetic and Non-Genetic Factors Shape Responses of Marine Life to Ocean Warming
Shama, L.N.S., Strobel, A., Mark, F.C. and Wegner, K.M. 2014. Transgenerational plasticity in marine sticklebacks: maternal effects mediate impacts of a warming ocean. Functional Ecology 28: 1482-1493. Mar 11, 2015
http://www.co2science.org/articles/V18/mar/a11.php
Once Upon a Time Coccolithophores Thrived in Acidifying Oceans
Meier, K.J.S., Berger, C. and Kinkel, H. 2014a. Increasing coccolith calcification during CO2 rise of the penultimate deglaciation (Termination II). Marine Micropaleontology 112: 1-12, March 10, 2015
http://www.co2science.org/articles/V18/mar/a10.php
The Increase of Seasonal Drought in the Greater Horn of Africa
Lyon, B. 2014. Seasonal drought in the Greater Horn of Africa and its recent increase during the March-May long rains. Journal of Climate 27: 7953-7975. Mar 9, 2015
http://www.co2science.org/articles/V18/mar/a8.php
[SEPP Comment: Model forecasts differ from observations.]
CO2-Enriched Air Reduces Effects of Heat Waves During Droughts
Zinta, G., Abdelgawad, H., Domagalska, M.A., Vergauwen, L., Knapen, D., Nijs, I., Janssens, I.A., Beemster, T.S. and Asard, H. 2014. Physiological, biochemical, and genome-wide transcriptional analysis reveals that elevated CO2mitigates the impact of combined heat wave and drought stress in Arabidopsis thaliana at multiple organizational levels.Global Change Biology 20: 3670-3685., Mar 5, 2015
http://www.co2science.org/articles/V18/mar/a6.php
Models v. Observations
The physics of clouds
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Mar 11, 2015
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2015/03/11/the-physics-of-clouds/
Link to paper: Multiple transitions in rotating turbulent Rayleigh-B´enard convection
By Ping Wei, Stephan Weiss, and Guenter Ahlers, Jan 19, 2015
http://www.nls.physics.ucsb.edu/papers/WWA14_PRL.pdf
[SEPP Comment: Technical]
Model Issues
Another excuse for ‘the pause’ – small eddies in the southern ocean
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Mar 10, 2015
Measurement Issues
Australian government finally gets slightly serious with CSIRO board
By Jo Nova, Her Blog, Mar 7, 2015
BoM Forum Panel: one-day-wonder. Rigorous as Annual Cakes and Tea Jamboree
By Jo Nova, Her Blog, Mar 10, 2015
Even Though Warming Has Stopped, it Keeps Getting Worse?
By Roy Spencer, Global Warming, Mar 9, 2015
http://www.drroyspencer.com/2015/03/even-though-warming-has-stopped-it-keeps-getting-worse/
[SEPP Comment: More on NOAA entities cooling older temperature records.]
IEA: Global CO2 Emissions Have Stopped Rising
By Pilita Clark, Financial Times, Via GWPF, Mar 13, 2015
http://www.thegwpf.com/iea-global-co2-emissions-have-stopped-rising/
Spiegel: NOAA “Embarrassment” Over “Four Years Of Failed El Niño Forecasts” …”Numerous Buoys Have Ceased To Function”!
By P. Gosselin, No Tricks Zone, Mar 13, 2015
Changing Weather
A new twist on predicting U.S. hurricanes – watch African thunderstorms two weeks in advance
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Mar 12, 2015
‘Extremely weak’ El Niño arrives
By Timothy Cama, The Hill, Mar 6, 2015
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/234834-extremely-weak-el-nino-arrives
[SEPP Comment: WeatherBell Analytics LLC has been reporting the El Niño for some time, but its analysts do not depend on federal funding and approval.]
Think UHI doesn’t affect the climate? Think again.
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Mar 5, 2015
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2015/03/05/think-uhi-doesnt-affect-the-climate-think-again/
[SEPP Comment: Urbanization may be reducing the summer fog along the coast in southern California, to the detriment of the plants that depend on it. Human caused drought?]
Giant Chunks Of Ice Wash Ashore On Cape Cod
By Staff Writers, CBS Boston, Mar 9, 2015 [William Readdy]
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/03/09/giant-icebergs-wash-ashore-on-cape-cod/
Changing Climate
Climate change turns mummies into black ooze
By Lizzie Wade, Science Mag, Mar 9, 2015 [H/t Toshio Fujita]
http://news.sciencemag.org/archaeology/2015/03/climate-change-turns-mummies-black-ooze
“In recent years, however, Arica [Chile] has become increasingly more humid, possibly due to global climate change.”
[SEPP Comment: The possibly is dropped from “possibly due to global climate change.” Did it not fit the attitude of the headline writers at Science Mag? Could it be from urbanization?]
Changing Cryosphere – Land / Sea Ice
North and South Poles: Important Climate Differences.
By Tim Ball, A Different Perspective, Mar 10, 2015
http://drtimball.com/2015/north-and-south-poles-important-climate-differences/
[SEPP Comment: Addressing the important question why the South Pole is colder than the North Pole and other issues that influence the earth’s climate such as the earth’s rotation, surface differences and land/water rations. Or why a modest increase in global temperatures will not have much an effect on the South Pole.]
No Net Change In Arctic Sea Ice Thickness Since 1940
By Steven Goddard, Real Science, Mar 13, 2015
https://stevengoddard.wordpress.com/2015/03/13/no-net-change-in-arctic-sea-ice-thickness-since-1940/
Un-Science or Non-Science?
Earth entering new era of rapid temperature change, study warns
By Robert McSweeney, The Carbon Brief, Mar 9, 2015
[SEPP Comment: No empirical basis for the assertion, just speculation.]
New models yield clearer picture of emissions’ true costs
Costs of fossil fuels sharply rise when health, environment factored in
Press Release, Duke University, Mar 4, 2015 [H/t Clyde Spencer]
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-03/du-nmy030415.php
Unable to link to paper
[SEPP Comment: Built on government-funded models and procedures, with no empirical basis.]
Warming temperatures implicated in recent California droughts
By Staff Writers, Stanford CA (SPX) Mar 05, 2015
Lowering Standards
Nigel Lawson Grills BoE Governor Mark Carney On Energy Risks
By Staff Writer, GWPF, Mar 11, 2015
http://www.thegwpf.com/nigel-lawson-grills-boe-governor-mark-carney-on-energy-risks/
Royal extremism
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Mar 12 2015
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2015/3/12/royal-extremism.html
They need to spin a threat of climate change in order to move the politicians in the desired direction. Shame about the impact on the reputation of science, but that has long since ceased to be a concern of Royal Society.
BBC’s climate change stance in brazen defiance of the law
When it comes to climate change, the BBC’s coverage is quite deliberately one-sided,
By Christopher Booker, Telegraph, UK, Mar 7, 2015 [H/t GWPF]
Scandals don’t dent reverence for the BBC and the NHS
Public bodies are often immortal in a way that private ones rarely are
By Matt Ridley, Rational Optimist, Mar 8, 2015
http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/scandals-don’t-dent-reverence-for-the-bbc-or-nhs.aspx
[SEPP Comment: Should public sector monopolies have a specific time-limit?
Carneyform waffle
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Mar 11, 2015
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2015/3/11/carneyform-waffle.html
Dazed and confused in the AAAS
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Mar 10, 2015
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2015/3/10/dazed-and-confused-in-the-aaas.html
Communicating Better to the Public – Exaggerate, or be Vague?
Amazon deforestation ‘threshold’ causes species loss to accelerate
By Staff Writers, Cambridge UK (SPX), Mar 06, 2015
[SEPP Comment: Does not name major species that are “wiped out.”]
Our partisan brains: exploring the psychology behind denying science
By Erik Nisbet and R. Kelly Garrett, The Conversation, US, Mar 12, 2015 [H/t Clyde Spencer]
[SEPP Comment: Apparently the first criteria of discussing communication to these associate professors is ignoring the physical evidence supporting or refuting the science.]
Communicating Better to the Public – Make things up.
Mass Deaths in Americas Start New CO2 Epoch
A new proposal pegs the start of the Anthropocene to the little ice age and the Columbian Exchange
By David Biello, Scientific American, Mar 11, 2015 [H/t Real Science]
Climate Experts Say A Google Attempt To Rank Websites Based On “Truth” Would Backfire … “Nut-Job Conspiracy Theories”
By P Gosselin, No Tricks Zone, Mar 10, 2015
Claim: Climate communication needs to be less optimistic, more ‘climate disruption’
By Eric Worrall, WUWT, Mar 12, 2015
Embarassing Revelations For Kelley et al…2008 German Radio Already Showed Focus On Climate Change Was Misplaced
By P. Gosselin, No Tricks Zone, Mar 11, 2015
[SEPP Comment: More on the paper that climate change (drought) is a major cause of the war in Syria.]
Ravaged by climate change, Florida reportedly bans term ‘climate change’
By Terrence McCoy, Washington Post, Mar 9, 2015 [H/t Conrad Potemra]
Scientists link Arctic warming to intense summer heatwaves in the northern hemisphere
By Roz Pidcock, Carbon Brief, Mar 12, 2015
Communicating Better to the Public – Go Personal.
Dr. S. Fred Singer’s supporters slam ‘Merchants of Smear’
Posted by Staff Writer, The Hockey Schtick, Mar 9, 2015
http://hockeyschtick.blogspot.com/2015/03/dr-s-fred-singers-supporters-slam.html
By Evan Lemann, E&E reporter, Mar 9, 2015
[SEPP Comment: The reporter has difficulty with simple facts. Al Gore attended a class given by Roger Revelle, but Revelle did not develop a working relationship with Gore and was hardly Gore’s mentor. Corrections in the draft paper are by Revelle.]
Merchants Of Smear
By Steven Goddard, Real Science, Mar 14, 2015
https://stevengoddard.wordpress.com/2015/03/14/merchants-of-smear/
Expanding the Orthodoxy
The UN’s Agenda 21
By Roger Helmer, His Blog, Mar 12, 2015 [H/t Paul Homewood]
https://rogerhelmermep.wordpress.com/2015/03/12/the-uns-agenda-21/
“Few political discussions are now taking place without some mention of whether Britain would be better served by removing itself from the EU. However our politicians and MSM seem strangely quiet about the real elephant in the room: UN – Agenda 21.”
A Global Strategy for Disaster Risk
By Ban Ki-Moon, Project Syndicate, Mar 11, 2015
http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/global-disaster-risk-strategy-by-ban-ki-moon-2015-03
[SEPP Comment: Another UN conference promoted by false fears of global warming.]
Beer brewers call for climate change policies
By Timothy Cama, The Hill, Mar 10, 2015
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/235241-beer-brewers-call-for-climate-change-policies
“We believe that a strong economy and a stable climate go hand in hand,” Jenn Vervier, director of strategy and sustainability at New Belgium, said in the statement.
[SEPP Comment: When has the climate ever been stable?]
Questioning European Green
Ditch the greens if you want to keep the wild places
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Mar 9, 2015
Five reasons to be wary of green energy investments
Green energy investment schemes are underperformers and could be impacted by the falling price of oil, so investors should be wary
By Kate Palmer, The Telegraph, UK, Mar 12, 2015 [H/t GWPF]
Fuelling Britain’s Future
By Martin Livermore, The Scientific Alliance, Mar 13, 2015
http://scientific-alliance.org/node/915
[SEPP Comment: Questioning the optimism expressed for plug-in electric and hybrid cars for non-urban motoring in the UK.]
Questioning Green Elsewhere
Think This Winter Was Cold? Try It with Only Green Energy
By Merrill Matthews, IBD, Mar 6, 2015 [H/t Timothy Wise]
Global Warming: Good for Bad and Bad for Good?
By Paul Knappenberger and Patrick Michaels, CATO, Mar 12, 2015
http://www.cato.org/blog/global-warming-good-bad-bad-good
Ontario’s climate change efforts and lower economic growth
By Sierra Rayne, American Thinker, Mar 11, 2015
[SEPP Comment: Provinces that lower greenhouse emissions tend to lower economic growth.]
Non-Green Jobs
Texas Leads the Nation in Power Sector CO2 Emissions
By Aaron Larson, Power Mag, Mar 5, 2015
[SEPP Comment: As stated above Texas employment is up over 13% since 2008 while employment in the other 49 states is down by 0.2%]
The Political Games Continue
Republicans criticize climate change cost accounting
By Timothy Cama, The Hill, Mar 9, 2015
Link to letter to White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA)
http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/0f07f8de-3635-4220-942e-40ee3bd7c070/3-9-15-oira.pdf
[SEPP Comment: The letter points out that calculation of the social cost of carbon (SCC) was done in secret, yet cited in nearly 100 proposed and final rules by agencies, which include expensive and burdensome regulations. “For example, all the climate-related benefits of EPA’s Clean Power Plan were derived from the SCC estimates. However, evidence indicates severe deficiencies in the models used, so a review of the public comments on the SCC could result in changes to estimates and alter the rule before it is final.”]
Ted Cruz Tells NASA to Stop Worrying About Climate Change and Focus on Space
The Texas Republican and likely presidential candidate told NASA’s chief Thursday to focus on “what inspires little boys and little girls across this country.”
By Marina Koren, National Journal, Mar 12, 2015
[SEPP Comment: Includes a NASA video of what NASA called the warmest year on record, as measured using incomplete earth surface instruments rather than far more comprehensive satellite instruments.]
Ted Cruz is right: Earth sciences aren’t NASA’s mission
By Luboš Motl, The Reference Frame, Mar 13, 2015
http://motls.blogspot.com/2015/03/ted-cruz-is-right-earth-sciences-arent.html
EPA and other Regulators on the March
A Second Look At EPA Findings
By Lawrence Kogan, Forbes, Mar 5, 2015
http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2015/03/05/a-second-look-at-epa-findings/
EPA Head Dumfounded by Climate Analysis
By Larry Bell, Newsmax, Mar 9, 2015
http://www.newsmax.com/LarryBell/climate-global-warming-epa-pielke/2015/03/09/id/628970/
EPA’s toxic mess on transparency
Editorial, Washington Examiner, Mar 6, 2015
EPA Will Take 100 Years To Fulfill Conservative Group’s FOIA Request
By Michael Bastasch, Daily Caller, Mar 12, 2015 [H/t Timothy Wise]
Energy Issues – Non-US
Svante Arrhenius: An Early Prophet Of The ‘Energy Crisis’
By Charles G. Moseley, Journal of Chemical Education 55(3) 1978, from GWPF, Mar 11, 2015
http://www.thegwpf.com/svante-arrhenius-an-early-prophet-of-the-energy-crisis/
[SEPP Comment: Also, he calculated how changes in CO2 will alter surface temperatures. It appears he overestimated both the rate at which the world would run out of fossil fuels and the impact of increasing CO2 on surface temperatures.]
Energy Issues — US
Scratching the Surface of Hydraulic Fracturing
By Michael MacRae, ASME, Mar 2015 [H/t Toshio Fujita]
https://www.asme.org/engineering-topics/articles/energy/scratching-surface-of-hydraulic-fracturing
[SEPP Comment: Innovation may reduce the need for water.]
Oil Price Crash A Blessing In Disguise For US Shale
By Mark Hill, Oil Price.com, Mar 8, 2015
http://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Oil-Price-Crash-A-Blessing-In-Disguise-For-US-Shale.html
[SEPP Comment: An optimistic view of continued increase in productivity, as differed from production.]
The U.S. Has Too Much Oil and Nowhere to Put It
Overflowing storage tanks could lead to another drop in prices
By Matthew Phillips, Bloomberg, Mar 12, 2015 [H/t GWPF]
[SEPP Comment: Another media manufactured energy crisis? Very clear that the authors do not comprehend how the free (not government controlled) market works.]
Washington’s Control of Energy
Obama’s War On Fossil Fuels Takes Toll On Energy Producers
By Kenneth Blackwell, IBD, Mar 9, 2015
Obama embraces Keystone skepticism
By Timothy Cama, The Hill, Mar 11, 2015
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/235294-obama-embraces-keystone-skepticism
[SEPP Comment: More jobs for Texas – forget the rest of the country.]
President Obama, please butt out of Alaska
By State Sen. Cathy Giessel, Washington Examiner, Mar 6, 2015
Return of King Coal?
Wind, Natural Gas, and Solar Continue to Nudge Coal to the Curb
By Aaron Larson, Power Mag, Mar 10, 2015
Oil Spills, Gas Leaks & Consequences
Two coal ash spills, two very different penalties assessed
By Rob Nikolewski, Watchddog.org, Mar 12, 2015 [H/t Timothy Wise]
http://watchdog.org/205178/two-disasters-penalties/
[SEPP Comment: Equality in the eyes of the law does not apply to corporations owned by the U.S. government, such as the Tennessee Valley Authority.]
Derailed Canadian National crude train still burning
By Jeffrey Hodgson, Reuters, Mar 8, 2015
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/09/canada-derailment-idUSL1N0WB00H20150309
Nuclear Energy and Fears
Vogtle: Nuclear Renaissance Gone Bad (Georgia Power’s rent-seeking nightmare)
By Jim Clarkson, Master Resource, Mar 11, 2015
Alternative, Green (“Clean”) Solar and Wind
New York Just Showed Every Other State How to Do Solar Right
“This is as exciting as the Public Service Commission gets.”
By Tim McDonnell , Mother Jones, Mar 6, 2015
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2015/03/solar-just-had-huge-win-new-york
Here’s how much faster wind and solar are growing than fossil fuels
By Chris Mooney, Washington Post, Mar 9, 2015
[SEPP Comment: Why do they need subsidies and mandates?]
Utilities wage campaign against rooftop solar
By Joby Warrick, Washington Post, Mar 7, 2015
Unlikely allies fight for solar energy in Florida
By Kerry Sheridan, Miami (AFP), March 11, 2015
http://www.solardaily.com/reports/Unlikely_allies_fight_for_solar_energy_in_Florida_999.html
“Florida is widely known as the Sunshine State but when it comes to harnessing solar power, lots of customers find it just doesn’t pay because electricity is already cheap and there is little incentive to make the change from fossil fuels.”
[SEPP Comment: Electricity is too cheap for solar to compete, let’s demand rate increases!]
Alternative, Green (“Clean”) Vehicles
Electric Lemons
By Jeffrey Folks, American Thinker, Mar 13, 2015
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2015/03/electric_lemons.html
[SEPP Comment: Lemonade turned to lemons?]
Carbon Schemes
New material captures carbon at half the energy cost
By Staff Writers, Berkeley CA (SPX), Mar 12, 2015
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/New_material_captures_carbon_at_half_the_energy_cost_999.html
The Conversation: Why is CCS stuck in second gear?
By Eric Worrall WUWT, Mar 13, 2015
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2015/03/13/the-conversation-why-is-ccs-stuck-in-second-gear/
[SEPP Comment: There is an economic fear, other than the sudden release of CO2. The fear that the schemes will become another Yucca Mountain – encouraged, even required by the Federal government at great private expense, on which the government suddenly reneges.]
Health, Energy, and Climate
America Less Polluted Every Year, Thanks To U.S. Wealth
By Kerry Jackson, IBD, Mar 12, 2015
[SEPP Comment: And replacing muscle power, such as horses, with fossil fuels.]
Evidence from glacier ice: Until it was banned, leaded gasoline dominated the human made lead emissions in South America
By Staff Writer, Science Daily, Mar 6, 2015 [H/t Clyde Spencer]
Link to paper: Pb pollution from leaded gasoline in South America in the context of a 2000-year metallurgical history
By Eichler, et al, Science Advances, Mary 6, 2015
http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/1/2/e1400196
“Sustainability”: an Agenda That Threatens Private Medicine, according to the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons
By Staff Writers, PR Newswire, Mar 9, 2015
Oh Mann!
The drawn-out Mann lawsuit: Science is not taking a stand for Michael Mann
By John A, WUWT, Mar 10, 2015
Other Scientific News
NASA Launches Four Spacecraft to Study Magnetic Fields of Earth, Sun
Two-year, $1.1 billion mission is aimed at helping scientists better understand space weather
By Staff Writers, AP, Mar 12, 2015
Giant Craters Caused By Climate Change!!
By Paul Homewood, Not a Lot of People Know That, Mar 13, 2015
https://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/2015/03/13/giant-craters-caused-by-climate-change/
Milky Way isn’t a flat disk, it’s corrugated
By Brooks Hays, Troy, N.M. (UPI), Mar 11, 2015
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Milky_Way_isnt_a_flat_disk_its_corrugated_999.html
New detector sniffs out origins of methane
By Staff Writers, Science News, Mar 5, 2015
http://esciencenews.com/articles/2015/03/05/new.detector.sniffs.out.origins.methane
Other News that May Be of Interest
China’s Space Laboratory Still Cloaked
By Morris Jones for SpaceDaily.com, Sydney, Australia (SPX), Mar 10, 2015
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Chinas_Space_Laboratory_Still_Cloaked_999.html
###################################################
BELOW THE BOTTOM LINE:
Laughable modeling study claims: in the middle of ‘the pause’, ‘climate is starting to change faster’
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Mar 9, 2015
Link to paper: Near-term acceleration in the rate of temperature change
By Steven J. Smith, et al. Nature Climate Change, Mar 9, 2015
http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nclimate2552.html
[SEPP Comment: Another study of what the models project rather than attempting to validate a model. Funded by the Department of Energy. A slowing down of change is a deceleration. Did the authors change an ac to a de? See discussion by David Whitehouse immediately below.]
Nature Climate Change: Global Temperature “Pause” To End Dramatically
By David Whitehouse, GWPF, Mar 12, 2015
http://www.thegwpf.com/nature-climate-change-global-temperature-pause-to-end-dramatically/
[SEPP Comment: See links immediately above.]
Ancient Cod Bones Carry Modern Warning About Mercury, Climate Change
By Staff Writer, Huff Post, Mar 10, 2015 [H/t Clyde Spencer]
[SEPP Comment: Mercury in fish existed back then, before coal-fired power plants? Alert the EPA! Mercury must be going back in time!]
Maryland’s psychotic herbicide laws
By Staff Writers, ACSH, Mar 12, 2015
http://acsh.org/2015/03/marylands-psychotic-herbicide-laws/
Atmosphere ‘has finally woken up’ as El Niño gets underway in the Pacific
By Roz Pidcock, The Carbon Brief, Mar 6, 2015
[SEPP Comment: After years of false starts? It has been on-going for some time, but not intensely.]
###################################################
I would add the following:
Easy there, tiger.
“Magnetic reconnection” is a made-up mathematical abstraction that contradicts basic Maxwell-equation-based E&M known for well over a century.
Exploding double layers in plasma is a better explanation, based on real, observable phenomena.
What is bizarre is that NASA is well aware of double layers.
See: Double Layers in Astrophysics
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19870013880.pdf
A very interesting question is: why is NASA going in reverse? What is the payoff?
NASA should say that plasma and double layers are ubiquitous, and that ‘magnetic reconnection’ is hard to understand because it doesn’t exist.
Rubbish. You can write explicit solutions to Maxwell’s equations involving reconnection. You can also make reconnection happen by simply moving a couple of magnets around. Reconnection is a very mundane and ordinary realignment of magnetic fields which most definitely exists and happens all the time.
Reconnection has been proposed as a mechanism for certain highly energetic events observed in plasmas. It is possible that reconnection is not sufficient to explain those events, hence the NASA probe. But the existence of magnetic reconnection is not in doubt.
Here is my cartoon contribution to Sunday Funny.
http://www.maxphoton.com/straight-talk-on-art/
Another.. “It was CO2 what done it” thingy !!
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/academics-say-global-warming-will-make-our-food-taste-funny/story-fni0ffxg-1227263711422
A weekly climate news update that doesn’t mention the fact that the arctic max is looking very much like it’s going to be a low record.
Would that be in the ‘all the news that’s yet to happen’ department?
http://media-cdn.timesfreepress.com/img/photos/2015/03/02/150303theskeptic8591907662_t377_h39f2c2c212a6ca11fc75e93155761c5a6c878bf8.jpg
Bring them here, they’re far better than local potatoes after Chernobyl.
Fukushima needs a rebranding. It worked for ValuJet.
https://youtu.be/WkG4iXiZCQE
https://youtu.be/yCxty7wOWvI
http://www.nationaljournal.com/magazine/the-case-against-larry-summers-20130912
Had it not been for these snake oil salesmen, the Canadians would have a completed on site new refinery for the oil sands and life would be good.
Wow, you know, since I came across Robert Parry’s post at Consortium News about ‘Putting the Dollar in Jeopardy’ it is just amazing how fast things are happening. It also looks like the Consortium site may have been shut down!!!
I’m really worried about this coming September, losing sleep.
“Colossal Defeat” For Obama As Australia Joins China’s Regional Bank | Zero Hedge
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-03-16/colossal-defeat-obama-australia-joins-chinas-regional-bank
“France, Germany and Italy have all agreed to follow Britain’s lead and join a China-led international development bank, according to European officials, delivering a blow to US efforts to keep leading western countries out of the new institution.
The decision by the three European governments comes after Britain announced last week that it would join the $50bn Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, a potential rival to the Washington-based World Bank.”
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0655b342-cc29-11e4-beca-00144feab7de.html#ixzz3UbYnPPo1
Kick Who Out? SWIFT Gives Russia a Seat on the Board
http://russia-insider.com/en/2015/03/13/4484
The new paper by Stephens et al 2014 on Earth’s Albedo as measured by satellites is a very significant paper.
http://webster.eas.gatech.edu/Papers/albedo2015.pdf
The NH and the SH Albedo is almost identical despite there being more high Albedo land surface in the NH.
Throughout the year, the Earth’s Albedo hardly varies at all despite a large difference in the total solar irradiance received by the Earth through that year and a larger temperature difference in the NH summer versus the SH summer.
Clouds appear to be the main stabilization mechanism (although why that would be is missing in my opinion).
A comment a JudithCurry’s website caught my eye. That climate sensitivity should only be considered the CO2/GHG value only before any feedbacks until someone proves that the feedbacks are operating as surmised.
This is now clear since the cloud feedback should definitely be set at Zero given the new Stephans paper. Climate science has it at a semi-large positive value that add’s roughly 1.0C to the 3.0C per doubling. Nobody has been able to find a positive cloud feedback or at least there is both positive and negative feedbacks seen. Set to Zero.
Ice-Albedo feedback seem clear enough. When it is warmer, ice melts, less reflection of sunlight. But doubled CO2 also produces a large vegetation response and just 1 degree of added greening in the low-mid-latitudes where all the deserts currently form would more than offset any melting at 75N or 75S. This new paper says that Albedo is more stable than that anyway. Set ice-Albedo back to Zero. Another 0.2C of the 3.0C per doubling is gone.
The Lapse Rate feedback at about -0.9 W/m2/K appears to be completely opposite. The Tropopause is increasing in temperature far lower than the surface meaning that the lapse rate feedback is a positive value not a negative. This essentially means we should be less focussed on the tropopause and move all the measurements back to the surface and forget about lapse rates all together. Lapse Rate feedback Zeroed out (it was negative so this adds-back some to the warming).
Water Vapor feedback is the biggest positive feedback at about +2.3 W/m2/K. I have been tracking water vapor numbers for a long time and although there is the Clausius Clapeyron relation which appears to be solid theory, water vapor is only increasing at something like 50% of that predicted in the theory. Set that back to 1.225 W/m2/K.
Put all that together and we get just 1.65C per doubling.
Or as the commenter at Judith Curry’s website says, maybe we should just consider the warming from CO2 alone (and I am now saying not for the Tropopause anymore but the Surface only) as the true climate sensitivity which is just 0.78C per doubling or 1.0C per doubling if one allows the positive water vapor feedback which appears to be showing up).
Today’s BBC Radio 4 Today programme featured Tim Palmer of Oxford University talking about the terrific Vanuatu cyclone. He said that the windspeeds were ‘unprecedented’ and that this was a symptom of ‘climate change’ – there was an implication in what he said that tropical revolving storms were ‘fewer but stronger’. Encouragingly he was challenged by compere Humphries about the faulty nature of some climate change models and the ‘lack of warming for ten – er – fifteen years’ which shows that dear old Humph has been keeping up. What’s the truth here?
Speaking of energy news – this is good news for the majority of people:
http://www.bloomberg.com/energy/
Washington Compost trying to spin up panic about Antarctica again. Claiming we are at a tipping point. Massive sea level rise coming. Everything you read (in real science) about Antarctic conditions is wrong, this ONE study tells the real truth … blah … blah.