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CLIMATE CHANGE SKEPTICS
David Lowry, Zawadi Baharanyi,
Greg Kremler, Ricardo Carreno
OVERVIEW
How do climate change skeptics construct their
argument?
How do climate change skeptics dispute
evidence that suggests global warming is real?
From whom do climate change skeptics
receive their funding?
How are climate change skeptics viewed
within the larger scientific community?
Rising Temperatures
Temperatures have actually cooled since 1989.
Response: 1989 was the warmest year on record due to an
unusually strong El Niño event (cherry-picking).
Atmospheric water vapor contributes more to the
greenhouse effect than CO2 emissions ever will.
Response: Atmospheric water vapor levels vary as a function
of temperature, not vice-versa.
Melting Glaciers and Ice Sheets
The Greenland Ice Sheet is growing.
Response: They are accumulating snow in the center,
but actually melting around the edges (net loss =
approximately 100 gigatons per year)
The Western Antarctic Ice Sheet is
accumulating mass.
Response: Ross Ice Streams are becoming inactive,
leading to accumulation of ice mass (process is
independent of global warming)
Increased Droughts and Floods
 Paleoclimatic archives preserve evidence of abrupt climate change
 Multidecadal drought implicated in the collapse of the classic
Mayan civilization in the ninth century (P & D Review 30(3), 2004)
(http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=00987921%28200409%2930%3A3%3C563%3AACCIS%3E2.0.CO%3B2-6)
Increased Droughts and Floods
 Multiple climate models predict weather polarization
 Areas already wet are likely to get wetter while those water
stressed are likely to feel it more (Harder B, 2005)
(http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0036-8423%2820051119%29168%3A21%3C325%3AGWAD%3E2.0.CO%3B2-1)
Hurricane/Tropical Cyclone Activity
 Whereas overall frequency of hurricane occurrence remains stable,
there has been a prevalence of higher intensity storms that correlates
with global warming
 Power-dissipation index of storms has doubled in past thirty years (Emanuel K, 2005)
(ftp://texmex.mit.edu/pub/emanuel/PAPERS/NATURE03906.pdf)
What is Mass Extinction?
What does global warming have
to do with Mass Extinction?
EVERYTHING
18%
Mid range Predicted warming= 24%
Maximum Predicted warming= 35%
Minimum Predicted warming=
Predications as reported in Peer-reviewed Nature
Magazine in 2004.
IPCC predictions: 1.4—5.8 degrees Celsius.
Or NOTHING…
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Species often thrive well outside their gross climatic
"envelope."
Temperatures have been bouncing up and down a lot more
than 0.8°C during the past several hundred thousand years.
Global climate models, in general, predict a warmer surface
and an increased rate of rainfall. As long as there is adequate
moisture, the most diverse ecosystems on earth are in the
warmest regions, the tropical rainforest being the prime
example. Consequently, the general character of future
climate is one which is more, not less hospitable for
biodiversity.
AS TOLD BY PATRICK MICHAELS

Not Peer-reviewed, not substantially supported with scientific
evidence!
Sea Levels!
Sea Levels
 IPCC (2001) predicts that the average
temperature will increase by between 1.4 and 5.8
degrees Celsius (2.5- 10.4 F).
 Scientists have calculated that if the average
temperature in Greenland increases by almost
3° Celsius, its ice sheet will begin to melt.
 Many experts believe the concentration of C02 in
the atmosphere will have reached levels around
the year 2100 that would cause the temperature
to rise to such levels.
 (Stefan Lovgren for National Geographic News)
The Issue with Greenland
If Greenland's ice sheet melted the
oceans would raise seven meters (23
feet), threatening to submerge cities
located at sea level from London to
Los Angeles.
Even partial melting ( 1 meter rise)
would have vast negative consequences
for countries like Bangladesh.
Sea Levels Cont’d
The fact is, that planet Earth has been losing
ground. It seems to be like a battle between
land and sea and the ocean is slowly, but
surely gaining the advantage. Glaciers are
slowly melting and retreating. It will be
no surprise for this generation to see a
dramatic change in landscape. We are
going to have to come with ways to deal with
this threat now for those the come after us.