Tag Archives: Climate Change Examiner

U.N. announces independent review of climate agency

File - Rajendra Pachauri,the head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Many climate ministers are growing increasingly concerned about the IPCC and Pachauri ability to lead the panel.  (World Economic Forum, Flickr)
File - Rajendra Pachauri,the head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Many climate ministers are growing increasingly concerned about the IPCC and Pachauri's ability to lead the panel. (World Economic Forum, Flickr)

Faced with falling public confidence in climate science, the United Nations announced it would conduct a review of its climate arm, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The panel’s work has come under heavy fire in recent months and its leader, Rajendra Pachauri, now is lacking support from international climate ministers themselves.

Dozens of errors have been discovered in the IPCC’s seminal AR4 report in recent weeks. Claims of disappearing Himalayan glaciers, threatened Amazonian rain forests and more have all been discredited. The report which was supposed to be a shining example of peer reviewed science cited dozens of questionable sources from climate advocacy groups.

At a meeting held by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in Bali, ministers recognized the many errors and are seeking to reassure the world their science is sound. Privately, ministers have expressed embarrassment at the errors and frustration at the handling of the issues by Pachauri.

Nick Nuttall, UNEP spokesman, told reporters that details of the review would be announced next week. The makeup of the group “will be senior scientific figures,” he said. “I can’t name who they are right now. It should do a review of the IPCC, produce a report by, say, August and there is a plenary of the IPCC in South Korea in October. The report will go there for adoption.”

In a private meeting with the governing council, Pachauri did little to reassure them of his ability to lead the panel going forward. He expressed ‘regret’ for the errors but did not apologize, adding to the frustration of the leaders. The IPCC’s leader further only admitted to the Himalayan glacier error calling the dozens of others ‘misunderstandings.’

There's more to this story on Examiner.com!There is much more to this story.  Privately, ministers are expressing doubt about Pachauri’s ability to lead.  Get the details from the Climate Change Examiner.

Weather Channel founder continues assault on manmade climate change theory

Global Warming: Meltdown is the latest television special from Weather Channel founder John Coleman that discusses the problems with the manmade climate change theory. (KUSI)
"Global Warming: Meltdown" is the latest television special from Weather Channel founder John Coleman that discusses the problems with the manmade climate change theory. (KUSI)

There is little doubt that John Coleman, founder of the Weather Channel, has strong feelings about manmade climate change. He has long railed against the theory calling it “the greatest scam in history.” Now a meteorologist for KUSI in San Diego, Coleman has continued his assault with a series of television specials, the latest of which aired last night.

The latest hour long special titled “Global Warming: Meltdown” walks through the arguments on both sides of the issue. From recent revelations of errors within the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) reports to discussions of faulty climate computer models, Coleman lays out the doubts about man’s influence on the climate reassuring viewers that, “Mankind is not destroying our planet.”

A brief recap of his previous special that aired last month, “Global Warming: The Other Side” kicks off the show and jumps into the IPCC errors. Al Gore, a favorite target for climate change skeptics, receives a jab or two and Coleman refers to the former vice president as “the pied piper of global warming.”

The seriousness of the debate however is clearly seen in the video as are some of the many questions that make the foundation of the manmade climate change theory. From climate computer models that have failed to account for recent cooling to extensive problems with surface temperature monitoring stations Coleman covers it all.

I guess you could have it both ways if you don’t have a very well defined theory.
~ John Christy on the claim that recent snow storms support the global warming theory

In an interview with John Christy, director of the Earth System Science Center at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Christy addresses satellite data that does not support warming. He further discusses the recent severe weather that has seen snow records across the eastern United States. In response to some who have said those events actually support global warming, Christy said, “I guess you could have it both ways if you don’t have a very well defined theory.”

Anthony Watts, owner of the climate blog Watt’s Up With That, appears on the program to discuss the problems with surface monitoring stations. Watts and a team of volunteers discovered that the vast majority of these stations in the United States fail to meet the minimum requirements for the site on which they reside. Similar problems have been discovered in other countries as well.

While not appearing directly on the show, although they were offered the opportunity, the other side makes appearances through interviews from other sources.

Dr. Richard Somerville from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography outlines the basics of the foundation of the anthropogenic global warming theory saying, “once again this is solid, settled science. No reputable scientist, no expert in this field would dispute anything I’ve just said.”

Tom Peterson with the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) in Asheville, North Carolina admits the problems with surface stations records. He however contents that corrections have been made in the data to compensate.

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Got snow? Northern Hemisphere snow extent at second highest level in 44 years

Winter snow extent for the Northern Hemisphere has been steadily increasing for the past 10 years. (Steven Goddard / Watt’s Up With That)
Winter snow extent for the Northern Hemisphere has been steadily increasing for the past 10 years. (Steven Goddard / Watt’s Up With That)

This winter has seen record-setting snow across parts of North America as well as Europe and Asia. Climate scientists have been quick to remind the public that the storms were short term events and not indicative of a lack of global warming. However, they have neglected to point out that winter snow extent in the Northern Hemisphere has been steadily increasing for more than 10 years.

Rutgers University’s Global Snow Lab is the definitive source for information on snow coverage of the globe. According to the unit’s latest statistics, 20,141,729 square miles (52,166,840 km2) of the Northern Hemisphere is covered in snow.

That puts the week as having the second highest snow extent in the 44 years that Rutgers has been gathering data. The only week out of the last 2,277 in the record with more occurred in 1978 during the second week of February.

Across the hemisphere, cold and snow has seemingly been appearing with greater ferocity and frequency this winter. The Mid-Atlantic states have seen record-setting amounts of snow while places in Texas and Florida that rarely see snow have had it more frequently this year. In Europe and Asia, snow as well has made numerous appearances above and beyond normal.

In the wake of the recent blizzards that struck the East Coast, many climate scientists took to television and print media repeating the mantra that ‘weather is not climate.’ They point out that short-term weather phenomena do not disprove manmade climate change and global warming. Many even said in recent weeks that the extreme cold actually supports the global warming theory.

There's more to this story on Examiner.com!Is that true?  How can global warming account for more snow AND less snow?  Find out more in the complete story from the Climate Change Examiner.

Climategate scientist admits faults in manmade climate change theory

Most will concede the globe is warming but what is responsible.  Even a scientist that is a climate change alarmist admits it may not be man.
Most will concede the globe is warming but what is responsible. Even a scientist that is a climate change alarmist admits it may not be man.

Dr. Phil Jones has gone from relative obscurity to worldwide prominence as the central figure in the Climategate email scandal. His actions and those of other climate scientists as revealed by the messages have cast a pall over the state of climate science and the manmade climate change theory. In interviews conducted in recent days, Jones shockingly reveals his own doubts about the science.

The world has been told the ‘science is settled’ and the ‘consensus’ of the scientific community is solid – man is the primary driver of climate change on the earth. Skeptics that have pointed out problems with the data and climate computer models. They have said that the lack of warming in the past 10 years despite increases in carbon dioxide show the science is not as solid as it has been portrayed.

Until this past year those that had their doubts were largely ignored. The email scandal and recent revelations of significant problems with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) reports have given rise to new doubts.

In interviews with the BBC and “Nature” over the past week, Jones gives credence to many of the arguments of skeptics and acknowledges the science may not be as solid as the world has been led to believe.

The BBC asked Jones about how the rate of warming from 1975 to 1998 was identical to warming recorded previously from 1860 to 1880 and 1910 to 1940.

Jones acknowledged that the warming in earlier periods was at nearly identical rates as later periods. “The warming rates are not statistically significantly different,” he said. The fact similar rates of warming were recorded before significant CO2 emissions casts a doubt on the argument that CO2 is driving the warming.

Jones admitted that there had been ‘no statistically significant’ warming over the last 15 years. He however maintains that is simply an interruption of warming that will continue.

There's more to this story on Examiner.com!That wasn’t all Jones said.  He continued Medieval Warm Period and questions about the accuracy of climate data.  Be sure to visit the Climate Change Examiner for the complete story.

NOAA announces new climate change portal

NOAAs new Climate.Gov website is supposed to provide a single point-of-entry for NOAA’s climate information, data, products and services.  (NOAA)
NOAA's new Climate.Gov website is supposed to provide a 'single point-of-entry for NOAA’s climate information, data, products and services.' (NOAA)

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced its new ‘portal to climate information’ at the web address Climate.Gov. The site is to serve as a consolidated home to climate information from across all of NOAA’s various departments.  The site has potential but despite the announcement, some of the information on the site is already out of date.

The new site was announced yesterday by Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco. Ironically, the Gore Effect seemed to be in full force as the major winter snowstorm that struck Washington D.C. forced the press conference to be held by telephone.

The NOAA Climate Service Portal will go hand in hand with the proposed NOAA Climate Service, a new branch of NOAA that officials want to become the one-stop-shop for climate information from the U.S. government. “We envision this climate portal as the first step toward making the wealth of climate information at NOAA available in one easy-to-use resource,” Lubchenco said.

  • An interactive “climate dashboard” that lets users see a range of constantly updating climate datasets (e.g., temperature, carbon dioxide concentration, and sea level) over adjustable time scales;
  • A new Web-based climate science magazine called ClimateWatch, featuring videos and articles of scientists discussing their recent climate research and topics that cannot be relayed in charts and graphs;
  • Explanations and exploration of data products available from NOAA and partner agencies, with direct links to the sources of the comprehensive datasets;
  • Educational resources for students and teachers, including lesson plans for the classroom and laboratory, educational games and interactive media; and
  • Easy-to-understand fact sheets and presentations for professionals and the public about climate science, research and climate impacts.

There's more to this story on Examiner.com!The site is a great looking one but there are some problems.  Read about that in the complete story on the Climate Change Examiner.

2009 proves to be pivotal year in climate change

2009 - The year climate change and global warming activists would like to forget
2009 - The year climate change and global warming activists would like to forget

There is little doubt that 2009 will be viewed as a pivotal and important year in the debate about manmade climate change.  For years alarmists served up their theory to a seemingly captive audience.  This past year however, the sands shifted and scientists that doubt man’s influence on the climate found their voice. 

Throughout the year, alarmists suffered setbacks and then the Climategate scandal struck and the UN climate summit ended in failure.  Even Al Gore was likely hiding with a polar bear somewhere after the dismal year he experienced.  🙂

The Climate Change Examiner has a great summary of the year in climate change:

For those who believe the manmade climate change theory, the new year cannot get here fast enough. As 2009 comes to a close, many are faced with the realizations that not only are they losing in the court of public opinion, the ‘consensus’ about anthropogenic global warming is far from solid. The year saw preeminent scientists join the chorus of those saying that other drivers besides man influence the climate, a scandal erupted that shook the very foundation of climate science and a much touted climate summit fell into disarray.

As 2009 dawned, climate change advocates continued to sound the alarm about carbon dioxide’s accumulation in the atmosphere and the warming they believe it causes. With President Barack Obama taking office in January, it was thought their brand of climate science would find a new foothold on which to advance the cause. As Obama prepared to take office, Dr. James Hansen sent the president-elect a letter warning of the dire consequences at hand saying that he had four years to save the world.

High hopes were soon dashed as many noted scientists and public figures raised their voices in dissent. From meteorologists to geologists to climate scientists, those who don’t agree with the theory refused to be silenced.

There's more to this story on Examiner.com!Click here to read the rest of this important look back at 2009 in climate change news.

Questions about the ethics of Climategate scientists abound

The fallout from the release of thousands of emails from the world’s top climate scientists has been swift. Some of those involved have begun to turn on each other and even the international organization that has driven the manmade climate change debate is turning its back on them.

The Climategate scandal spans the globe and includes scientists from top universities, government agencies and private institutions. While some have said the messages call into question the very science behind anthropogenic climate change, on a more personal level it calls into question the ethics of the men involved. Data manipulation and deletion, efforts to prevent sharing of information, collusion to prevent publication of dissenting opinions and many more charges have been leveled.

Dr. Phil Jones, head of the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia, was arguably featured most prominently in the emails. He apparently made requests of his colleagues to delete emails that he didn’t wish to see shared, made concerted efforts to withhold data, and worked with other scientists to stifle others opinions.

Jones temporarily stepped down from his position pending the results of an investigation. He has however seen little support from other scientists involved in the event.

Dr. Michael Mann of Penn State University and author of the discredited ‘hockey stick’ graph was the recipient of one of the emails from asking him and other scientists to delete previous correspondence. In interviews since the event, Mann did not support Jones saying, “I can’t put myself in the mind of the person who wrote that email and sent it. I in no way endorse what was in that email.”

Mann disavowed deleting any messages however, when he received the message he did not object and in fact replied that he would forward the request to Dr. Eugene Wahl at the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC).Penn State is currently investigating Mann however that inquiry is being conducted in private just leading to doubts about its impartiality.

There's more to this story on the Denver Weather Examiner's site!What do other prominent scientists and the United Nations have to say about the scientists?  Get the rest of the story at the Climate Change Examiner.

Complete coverage of the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen

The Climate Change Examiner is the place for the latest on the United Nations Climate Change Conference.
The Climate Change Examiner is the place for the latest on the United Nations Climate Change Conference.

15,000 delegates, 5,000 journalists and dozens of world leaders have decended on Copenhagen, Denmark for the UN Climate Change Conference (COP15).  Decisions will be made that could shape the world in the decades to come. 

There is a lot going with the various press conferences, proposals, protests and more.  Underscoring the importance of the event, President Barack Obama will attend next week.  Will an agreement be reached?  What form will it take? 

The ultimate goal is to establish rules and limits on carbon emissions for all nations but it is not without controversy.  The recent Climategate scandal is serving as a backdrop and causing doubt in many people’s minds. 

The Climate Change Examiner is covering the story and its potentially wide-ranging effects.  Be sure to take a look!

California and Google team up to show residents the effects of global warming

This image from the Google Earth tour released by California and Google portrays some of the dangers manmade climate change are thought to bring to the state.  See below for a link to watch the video. (State of California)
This image from the Google Earth tour released by California and Google portrays some of the dangers manmade climate change are thought to bring to the state. See below for a link to watch the video. (State of California)

The state of California and Google have been considered at the forefront of the fight against manmade climate change and the two have come together to help the state’s residents visualize the effects of global warming. The new interactive tool, dubbed CalAdapt and part of the Google Earth software, portrays a dismal future for the Sunshine State unless steps are taken to stem man’s effect on the earth.

Narrated by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, the tour begins by zooming in and out of the state and highlighting the steps it has taken on its own. Investments in renewable energy, its commitment to reduce greenhouse gases to 1990 levels and the state’s green building program are all featured.

Graphic representation of the effects of manmade climate change are meant to drive home the dangers California faces. From a less reliable water supply to more frequent and more intense wildfires and rising sea levels, the state faces a number of risks according to the video.

The unveiling ceremony was held on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay. The significance of the location was not lost on Schwarzenegger who said, “Within a century, Treasure Island, this place where we are right now, could be totally under water.”

There's more to this story on the Denver Weather Examiner's site!What will happen to California if manmade climate change isn’t slowed?  Check out the video at the Climate Change Examiner.

ABC, CBS, NBC continue to ignore Climategate email scandal

The story has all the makings of a big news story and a world class whodunit. An illegal break in leads to charges of a global conspiracy. Some of the world’s leading experts tackling one of the most pressing issues of our day and age are forced to launch a defense of themselves. Two experts fall under the specter of investigations, Congress holds hearings into the affair, the Internet is set afire by one phrase – Climategate.

For two weeks the story rages and grows in intensity and yet somehow, the big three television networks are missing in action. Whether the story is just smoke or if there is fire behind it, the hacking of one of the world’s major climate research centers and the fallout from it is big news. By ignoring the story, ABC, CBS and NBC are highlighting the failures of themselves and much of the mainstream media.  Perhaps more importantly they are contributing to their own demise and irrelevance.

Since the Climategate story broke two weeks ago today on November 20th, the story has been covered by all cable news networks including FOX News and CNN. Through it all, the big three are nowhere to be found. Not one mention of the event has been made on the networks’ morning or evening news broadcasts.

The story has all the makings of a big news story and a world class whodunit. An illegal break in leads to charges of a global conspiracy. Some of the world’s leading experts tackling one of the most pressing issues of our day and age are forced to launch a defense of themselves. Two experts fall under the specter of investigations, Congress holds hearings into the affair, the Internet is set afire by one phrase – Climategate.

For two weeks the story rages and grows in intensity and yet somehow, the big three television networks are missing in action. Whether the story is just smoke or if there is fire behind it, the hacking of one of the world’s major climate research centers and the fallout from it is big news. By ignoring the story, ABC, CBS and NBC are highlighting the failures of themselves and much of the mainstream media.  Perhaps more importantly they are contributing to their own demise and irrelevance.

Since the Climategate story broke two weeks ago today on November 20th, the story has been covered by all cable news networks including FOX News and CNN. Through it all, the big three are nowhere to be found. Not one mention of the event has been made on the networks’ morning or evening news broadcasts.

There's more to this story on the Denver Weather Examiner's site!Why are the networks ignoring the story?  Who is covering the story in the networks’ absence?  Get all the details on the Climate Change Examiner.