Monday, October 12, 2009

What's Going On With The Retreat Of Arctic Sea Ice?

That, according William Connolley. In the midst of a long term decline, but (he's betting, and usually winning his bets) not gone in the summer by 2020.

By the way, Connolley is as close to a climate change skeptic in the true sense that you are going to find. He is also quite entertaining...for a scientist.

5 comments:

Frank said...

Lawrence Solomon might beg to differ:

The latest news from the Arctic — delivered daily via satellite — is no better. Two years ago with the Arctic ice in rapid retreat, the doomsters, convinced of the coming of an ice-free Arctic, could scarcely contain themselves. Now, with the Arctic ice in rapid return, their anticipation of disaster seems more a cruel hoax of Nature. The doomsters now dread to track the satellite data beamed down to us courtesy of the International Arctic Research Center and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency — you can see why they cringe each day by going to the satellite website and following the red line: - FP Oct 9

bigcitylib said...

Lawrence Solomon is a hack for a failing newspaper.

Frank said...

Well, how about this reality check from a staunch warmer org:

What happened to global warming? - by auntie

In a stunning departure from its usual 'the science is settled' mantra, the BBC is now allowing that the earth isn't warming, may continue to cool for some time:

"For the last 11 years we have not observed any increase in global temperatures.
And our climate models did not forecast it, even though man-made carbon dioxide, the gas thought to be responsible for warming our planet, has continued to rise...To confuse the issue even further, last month Mojib Latif, a member of the IPCC says that we may indeed be in a period of cooling worldwide temperatures that could last another 10-20 years."

This piece by the beeb's climate correspondent, Paul Hudson, provides the first reasonably balanced synopsis of both warmer and skeptic views that I can recall seeing from this far left, tax funded, eurocentric bunch. Could it be the beeb has decided that it is time to act like a news organization and inform rather than advocate? Or, are the over fed execs starting to fear for their sorry butts before David Cameron takes charge next year and cleans house. I say take them to the Stocks.

Hudson concludes on this positive note, "One thing is for sure. It seems the debate about what is causing global warming is far from over. Indeed some would say it is hotting up." And the chink in the warmer wall just got a little wider.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8299079.stm

Cue the zealots 3 2...

Mark Richard Francis said...

"For the last 11 years we have not observed any increase in global temperatures."

This is the old misdirection that temperatures are declining since 1998. You get one really hot year, and suddenly the denialists have a talking point claiming that the world is cooling until another year comes along which is hotter. What happens when a hotter year comes by? They will ignore it, and start the same propaganda up when a cooler year follows.

Of course, the world has been getting steadily hotter since 1997. And 1996, and 1995, and 1994... If we used 1999 as a benchmark, we could also say the earth is getting steadily warmer form that on point.

The science has repeatedly said that each year need not be hotter than the last. The science has repeatedly said that normal climatic patterns can temporarily mask the effects of increased greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere.

It's all about long-term trends.

But the denialists place words into our mouths, claiming that we never say these things, and then get all holier than though when observed facts contradict their lies they shoved in our mouths.

Why do I bother. These are the idiots who would proclaim a drought over after a light rain. Or that death is a myth because they survived a cold.

Ti-Guy said...

Why do I bother.

I don't. The capacity for these people to spew nonsense is impressive. I mean, what kind of person writes "far left, tax funded, eurocentric" in all seriousness?

Someone who's lost even the rudimentary ability to think for himself, obviously.

Like I've said before, modern society should really re-think "universal literacy." It is having some very disturbing, unintended consequences.