Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
2.3.3
Attitudes and Methods Employed by Climate Sceptics
There is a whole range of attitudes among the detractors from climate change sci-
ence. These extend from denial that any change in the earth's temperature is occur-
ring at all, or they claim that it is entirely natural if it occurs. They argue that there
have been warmer periods in the past - which cannot possibly be attributed to
human activity. Therefore, it must be caused by the activity of the sun or by cosmic
rays. However, the fact that the lower atmosphere is warming rather than the strato-
sphere (the next layer up, as explained on the second page of this chapter) makes
clear that it is not related to solar activity.
Others concede that, yes, perhaps there is a slight change in temperature, possi-
bly amplifi ed by human activity, but it is nothing serious and we cannot do much
about it anyway. If there is a problem, the ingenuity of mankind will surely fi nd a
solution. Not to worry, there are more serious problems to be solved fi rst. The next
technology will certainly come to the rescue.
Again, some contrarians are openly offensive, for instance, Seitz fl atly accused
climate scientists of dishonesty in the foreword to a topic by a fellow sceptic, who
claims that any warming is entirely natural (Singer
1995
: 2). This is the fi rst sen-
tence of the topic: 'For scientists wanting fame and fortune, it has become far easier
to pander to irrational fears of environmental calamity than to challenge them'
(Ibid.: Foreword by Seitz). But why would a scientist want to challenge a fellow
scientist for writing about scientifi c facts, unless for political purposes? Other titles
are even more outspoken such as
The Greatest Hoax: How the Global Warming
Conspiracy Threatens Your Future
by Senator James Inhofe, who also claimed
divine knowledge declaring 'God says that climate change is a hoax' (Radio inter-
view with Voice of Christian Youth America, 1 March
2012
).
2
Another familiar tactic used time and time again works by attacking the science
through vilifi cation of the scientists and their reputation. The ordeals of some of
these eminent scientists, James E. Hansen, Benjamin D. Santer and Michael
E. Mann, are described by Oreskes and Conway (
2010
: 128, 264, 3-5, 208-211).
Other individuals, campaigning on the issue of climate change, such as Al Gore
(
2006
) and Bill McKibben, have also been subjected to attacks.
2.4
Case Study: Climategate
A mere mention of the attack on Mann and a team of climate scientists at the
University of East Anglia, popularly known as 'Climategate', does not do justice to
the impact of the incident. It has been highly infl uential and is by all accounts one
of the reasons why the 2009 Copenhagen Summit on Climate Change failed to
reach a satisfactory agreement. It began with the hacking of a server at the Climatic
2
Inhofe did not mention in the interview that he received $1,352,523 in campaign contributions
from the oil and gas industry, including $90,950 from Koch Industries.
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