“Be wary of climate forecasts — Mother Nature always seems to have a trick up her sleeve.”
These are the words of John Christy, professor of atmospheric science at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
According to climate scientists, the world is set to experience the hottest summer - in 2010 - ever recorded but a voice of reason emerges from the crown of doomsayers to remind us - regardless of how data is determined, manipulated and displayed - that our world is more than capable of throwing a natural wobbler into the mix.
Reading El Niño could make 2010 the hottest year ever on the Times this morning, I was momentarily speechless when I read this, "Vicky Pope, head of climate change advice at the Met Office, said: “It was a cold winter in Europe but, globally, January to March was one of the seven warmest starts to the year on record."
So we experience one - if not 'the' - coldest winters in probably three generations all over Europe yet because it was warmer elsewhere in the world, the Met Office choose to ignore this massive dip?
Until proven otherwise, I'm going to keep my feet firmly on the ground about short-term temperature changes and we would all be wise to heed what else John christy says: "global datasets for temperature had flaws that could lead to rises being overstated"
Professor John Christy is one of the scientists who says that the world might not actually be warming after all and poured doubt on the IPCC claim that our world will be devastated by a temperature rise of as much as 5-6C by 2100.
Phil, a bit more research on what Professor John Christy is actually saying might help to temper your seemingly unshakeable belief in what people like him are coming out with. You choose to base an entire and sceptical post on a selective quote from someone who isn't averse to making misleading comments.
Just a few minutes of research produced this illuminating post featuring Christy on the US climate change blog climateprogress.org:
http://climateprogress.org/2009/12/15/earth-to-john-christy-misleading-for-free-is-wrong-too/
This blog is a fantastic, searchable resource for anyone willing to put what they would like to believe up for scrutiny alongside some science-based facts. I highly recommend it.
The blog also has plenty of science-based information on why one cold winter does not debunk global warming theory with a single snowflake. It's simple: global warming does not mean and end to cold winters.
If, in your opinion, you think the head of the Met Office, Dr Vicky Pope is somehow "ignoring" our recent cold winter here in the UK (even though she doesn't say she is in the Times piece) why don't you ask her for an explanation? I'm sure Landscape Juice readers would be keen to read her response. Or does the science-based explanation risk drawing you too far out of your sceptic comfort zone?
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/corporate/pressoffice/contact/
Posted by: John Walker | May 24, 2010 at 12:12 PM
"You thought last winter was bad? Wait until this winter,"
"Expect global cooling for the next 2-3 decades that will be far more damaging than global warming would have been," says Easterbrook. "Twice as many people are killed by extreme cold than by extreme heat."
http://just-me-in-t.blogspot.com/2010/05/mighty-freeze-coming-our-way.html
Posted by: Just ME in T | May 24, 2010 at 09:56 PM