If one more idiot tells me it hasn’t warmed over the past sixteen years…….. I’ll just scream! When you participate in debates on the Drum over climate change, you can unearth the most bizarre myths that an unbelievable number of people actually believe……. or maybe they just need to believe it, because the truth is just too hard to deal with.
One such persistent myth that has emerged in the mainstream media is that the Earth has been cooling for the past 16 years…. This has been the favorite climate contrarian myth of 2012, first invented by David Rose at The Mail on Sunday with an assist from Georgia Tech’s Judith Curry, both of whom later doubled-down on the myth after it was debunked. Despite these repeated debunkings, the myth spread throughout the media in various opinion editorials and stunts throughout 2012. The latest incarnations include this article at the Daily Mail, and a misleadingly headlined piece at the Telegraph.
As a simple illustration of where the myth goes wrong, the following video clarifies how the interplay of natural and human factors have affected the short-term temperature trends, and demonstrates that underneath the short-term noise, the long-term human-caused global warming trend remains as strong as ever.
As if we didn’t know that in Australia…. the BOM has even had to add new colours to temperature charts (above) as they commonly top 50 degrees…
Thank mike… I wonder how you think Tasmania sits long term in regards to climate change, fire, economy, even demographics, after all we are only a hop step and a jump from the big island. I’m beginning to think South Island NZ may be a better choice. Good that ya willing to have the hard conversations most are not willing to have.
We seriously considered the South Island of NZ…… until the Christchurch earthquake. Mind, I see NW Tassie had a mild earthquake too today…
I’m not that concerned personally about the economy. The secret is to prepare for there being NO economy…… some self sufficiency, a good community, and living as sustainably as possible, a lifestyle not reliant on FFs… The house I have designed in my head will be largely fireproof. Plus if you live far enough away from the trees, you’re far less likely to have problems.
Demographics? I’m a baby boomer myself and part of the problem, but again I believe in preparing for NOT having a pension… won’t be easy, and I well know I may not live as long as my parents…
If climate change is remotely as bad as Guy McPherson thinks it will be, you kiss your arse goodbye. There is NO getting away from 6 degrees. But we all die, and I’ve made my peace with the Earth….
Hi Mike,
The latest forecasts for global warming of 4 to 6 degrees Celsius, a level that puts us in the situation of catastrophe. For some time now I have had the feeling that in spite of all the evidence for AGW the deniers are carrying the day in the public opinion battle. If only they knew that in winning they are actually loosing everything along with all the rest of us. Maybe the current heat is getting me down.
It’s sure getting ME down!
The photo of Australia on fire shown on this page comes from a montage of NASA photos dating from April and October 2012. See http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/NPP/news/aus-fires.html . Nothing to do with the Jan 2013 fires.
“The earlier damage has also been well-documented by NASA, which makes tracking wildfires all across the planet an ongoing project. Using satellite imagery they’ve marked and cataloged the scars left behind by previous wildfires and in December, the agency released new composite images of the entire Earth’s surface at night. This “close up” of Australia was made from photos taken during two different periods in April and October of 2012. ” (http://www.theatlanticwire.com/global/2013/01/australian-wildfire-photos/60768/ ).
Thanks for the heads up…..
Mike … In the end just to live and die well is enough. You might like the dark mountain project and
http://howtosavetheworld.ca/
Be well,
Glenn