Evidence Clearly Points to the World Facing a Climate Crisis
Opinion Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the author/producer’s interpretation of facts and data.
Patrick Mosman begins his letter in the Apr. 4 issue of The Examiner (“Climate Crisis Based on Models That Cannot Predict Future Temperatures”) with a fiery condemnation of the activities of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: “The IPCC has been forecasting, predicting doom and gloom, end-of-the-Earth scenarios since the 1970s and none have come to pass.”
The IPCC did not exist until 1988! Since 1990, it has published a series of reports summarizing scientific consensus. All reports are freely available at https://www.ipcc.ch, so the interested reader can verify that no IPCC report forecasts an “end-of-the-Earth-scenario.” The language of these “gold standard” reports is carefully measured. For example, the 1992 report concludes “The unequivocal detection of the enhanced greenhouse effect from observations is not likely for a decade or more.” Unfortunately for our shared future, the unequivocal detection came to pass.
Scientists know the limitations of their observations and forecast models. Thus, it is very concerning that scientific consensus has moved in recent years to an unequivocal warning of worsening consequences if decisive climate action is delayed.
Mr. Mosman continues: ‘There is no evidence of a climate “crisis…” Rather than accept his unsubstantiated claim, go to the above-mentioned website, download the recent AR6 Synthesis Report and read pages 5-7 of the Summary for Policymakers. This is a highly-condensed, accessible and well-documented summary of the mountain of evidence concerning the growing costs and harms of continued global warming. Decide for yourself if there is a climate crisis.
Thomas N. Theis
Croton-on-Hudson
Examiner Media – Keeping you informed with professionally-reported local news, features, and sports coverage.