'Global warming is a hoax'

How to Talk to a Climate Skeptic

Posted by Coby Beck (Guest Contributor) at 9:26 AM on 13 Nov 2006

(Part of the How to Talk to a Global Warming Skeptic guide)

Objection: Global warming is a hoax perpetrated by environmental extremists and liberals who want an excuse for more big government (and/or world government via the U.N.).

This is a common line, regardless of how ridiculous it is, so it should not go unanswered.

Answer: Here is a list of organizations that accept anthropogenic global warming as real and scientifically well-supported:

NASA's Goddard Institute of Space Studies (GISS): http://www.giss.nasa.gov/edu/gwdebate/
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/globalwarming.html
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc_tar/wg1/index.htm
National Academy of Sciences (NAS): http://books.nap.edu/collections/global_warming/index.html
State of the Canadian Cryosphere (SOCC) - http://www.socc.ca/permafrost/permafrost_future_e.cfm
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): http://epa.gov/climatechange/index.html
The Royal Society of the UK (RS) - http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/page.asp?id=3135
American Geophysical Union (AGU): http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/policy/climate_change_position.html
American Meteorological Society (AMS): http://www.ametsoc.org/policy/climatechangeresearch_2003.html
American Institute of Physics (AIP): http://www.aip.org/gov/policy12.html
National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR): http://eo.ucar.edu/basics/cc_1.html
American Meteorological Society (AMS): http://www.ametsoc.org/policy/jointacademies.html
Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society (CMOS): http://www.cmos.ca/climatechangepole.html

Every major scientific institution dealing with climate, ocean, and/or atmosphere agrees that the climate is warming rapidly and the primary cause is human CO2 emissions. In addition to that list, see also this joint statement (PDF) that specifically and unequivocally endorses the work and conclusions of the IPCC Third Assessment report. The statement was issued by:

Academia Brasiliera de Ciencias (Brazil)
Royal Society of Canada
Chinese Academy of Sciences
Academie des Sciences (France)
Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina (Germany)
Indian National Science Academy
Accademia dei Lincei (Italy)
Science Council of Japan
Russian Academy of Sciences
Royal Society (United Kingdom)
National Academy of Sciences (United States of America)

You can also read this statement [PDF], which includes all the above signatories plus the following:

Australian Academy of Sciences
Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Sciences and the Arts
Caribbean Academy of Sciences
Indonesian Academy of Sciences
Royal Irish Academy
Academy of Sciences Malaysia
Academy Council of the Royal Society of New Zealand
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

But if scientists are too liberal and politicians too unreliable, perhaps you find the opinion of key industry representatives more convincing:

BP, the largest oil company in the UK and one of the largest in the world, has this opinion:
There is an increasing consensus that climate change is linked to the consumption of carbon based fuels and that action is required now to avoid further increases in carbon emissions as the global demand for energy increases.
Shell Oil (yes, as in oil, the fossil fuel) says:
Shell shares the widespread concern that the emission of greenhouse gases from human activities is leading to changes in the global climate.
Eighteen CEOs of Canada's largest corporations had this to say in an open letter to the Prime Minister of Canada:
Our organizations accept that a strong response is required to the strengthening evidence in the scientific assessments of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). We accept the IPCC consensus that climate change raises the risk of severe consequences for human health and security and the environment. We note that Canada is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

Have the environazis seized the reigns of industrial power, in addition to infiltrating the U.N., the science academies of every developed nation, and the top research institutes of North America? That just doesn't seem very likely.

For story: 'Global warming is a hoax'
10 Comments | Post a Comment

lynxes

For what it is worth, the Accademia dei Lincei had Galileo himself as one of its founding members.

The name does not refer directly to lynxes, but to a remarkably sharp-eyed figure in Greek mythology, who himself was apparently given a lynx-derived name.

Anyway, the Accademia dei Lincei was an early, respected institution, which moved European thought to doubt the old Aristotelian and Ptolemaic models of the solar system, and to accept the new Copernican model, for which Galileo provided ample evidence.

I would be most unwilling to judge the current membership in the Accademia dei Lincei; but I suspect they represent cutting-edge science at its best.

Chickens deserve our true friendship! So do fish! So do other sentient beings! Let us learn to be kind.

by caniscandida at 12:02 AM on 14 Nov 2006

You Keep Slipping It In

This is why the AGW's are so slimely. They keep sliding in the phrase:

the primary cause is human CO2 emissions

And then backtrack through the whole twisted chain of logic if you say, "but, anthrogenic CO2 is not the primary cause" and start down shouting about how you "don't believe in global warming".

You AGW's are worse than the witch hunters of Salem. I imagine Al Gore in a high collared black outfit shouting "Confess! Confess! You know that Warming is the Work of Man!"

Oil Is So Hot! http://oilismastery.blogspot.com

by jabailo at 2:58 PM on 03 Mar 2007

Let's deal with facts, not talking points

Global warming is the new religion of the far left. The "don't bother us with the facts" crowd, "just do what we say."

I'm not opposed at all to an honest look at global climate change, and whether its affected by human activity, but the shameless posturing and distortions by the warming religious zealots is offensive.

Want to see a little Satire on this? then visit Carbon Neutral Motor Drives

Never Fear the Truth

by emainc at 7:53 AM on 24 Mar 2007

to emainc

... look at the bottom of your page. it says "and oh, April fools" . lol!!! at least post a link that doesnt make you look like a complete idiot...

by goldfighter3 at 7:07 PM on 19 Apr 2007

the facts are open

Even still, Scientists are willing to give the facts. It's just unfortunate that this is something you cannot expect to understand it all straight away. (Just like it would take a while to explain how the human body works.)

by trickytank at 5:42 AM on 15 Jun 2007

Challenge from a sceptic

A challenge from a sceptic in the form of a bet to those who believe in AGW.

I want to put up a challenge in the form of a BET with anyone who's interested:

I will bet you $100,adjusted for inflation, that the average yearly temperature 20 years from now (2027) will be SIGNIFICANTLY COLDER than the same average for 2005 (or any year between 1900-1940 or 1980-2007).

Any takers?

I wonder if you will still insist that AGW is just around the corner when you fork over your money to me? Probably. Once ignorant and easily swayed, always so...

- Anthropogenic Global Warming is the name of a evil, moralistic DoomsDay Cult with gullible scared morons as members. Shame on you!

by stoffer70 at 11:10 AM on 10 Aug 2007

Yeah, stoffer,

we get it. You don't need to go posting this identical comment on every thread. Once is enough.

As to the comment itself? Yawn.

grist.org

by David Roberts at 11:31 AM on 10 Aug 2007

Yawning chicken?

If you want to make an omelet, you have to break some eggs...

I'll keep posting until I get a taker!

How about you? The odds are 1:1, and if you're as evangelical as the rest of this site, it should be a sure thing.

Come on, chicken...

- Anthropogenic Global Warming is the name of a evil, moralistic DoomsDay Cult with gullible scared morons as members. Shame on you!

by stoffer70 at 12:16 AM on 17 Aug 2007
[ Parent ]

Global Warming is a Hoax Skeptics

I don't think it matters what you say to people who think global warming is a hoax. Recently during a poker game, one of the players asked about global warming, and another guy said "It's complete BS."

My husband and I immediately started saying that the most respected scientists in the world have all kinds of documented evidence about global warming, that icebergs are melting, and that even skeptics who have seen the shrinking ice caps have seen the light. The response was "everyone is entitled to an opinion."

The "global warming is a hoax" believers don't understand the difference between informed opinion, uninformed opinion, misinformed opinion and totally ignorant opinions.

Of course the same people who believe that global warming doesn't exist often also still think we are bringing freedom to the Iraqi people and that (and I quote from the same person), "The only people in the history of the world to die for humanity are Jesus Christ and the American soldier."

Logic is not a factor with these people.

by LeeAnnG at 12:47 PM on 15 Oct 2007

one argument you've missed

Can you give us something on the argument that this is a hoax cooked up by scientists to get grant money, and that "global warming" is a gravy train?

The Old Mole

by theoldmole at 11:28 AM on 23 May 2008

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