The Third Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change had a different take on greenhouse gases to President Bush. Because he and they could have been on different planets in 2001 had we not known better. George Bush withdrew from the Kyoto Accord citing “insufficient scientific evidence” for greenhouse gases being harmful. While the IPCC-3 found “new and stronger evidence” that humanity’s emissions of greenhouse gases largely caused the warming since the 1950’s.
The Robust Findings of the IPCC-3 Synthesis Report
The Earth’s surface was warming, and this was attributable to human activity, the report confirmed. Moreover, this warming would continue to increase, resulting in rising sea levels and more frequent heat waves.
Although there would initially be both positive and adverse benefits, the latter would predominate as temperatures increased further. Moreover, poorer persons and developing countries would be most susceptible to climate change. The IPCC-3 Synthesis report however warned the actual estimates were uncertain, as were the precise outcomes in the sea and the air.
How Reliable Are the Findings of the Third IPCC Report?
The scientific community in general supported the report, although there were exceptions. The science communities of Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada,and the Caribbean agreed. As did China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, and Malaysia. They issued a joint statement of concurrence together with New Zealand, Sweden, and the UK.
“We recognize the IPCC as the world’s most reliable source of information on climate change and its causes,” they said. “And we endorse its method of achieving consensus.”
However, the U.S. National Research Council took a more cautious approach. “The most valuable contribution U.S. scientists can make is to continually question basic assumptions and conclusions,” it said.
“And promote clear and careful appraisal and presentation of the uncertainties about climate change …”
And there they left the problem to continue festering. Right or wrong about the causes, we feel the sun warmer on our backs today. The hurricane season is becoming more frightening. The low-lying Maldives is calling for help to stem the melting icecaps flooding its islands.
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Preview Image: Last Glacial Maximum
