I have believed since hearing of it that some form of anthropogenic climate change is occurring; I live in Winnipeg, typically a city-size deep freezer, but our average winter temperatures have been rising steadily for the past five years or so (probably even more), and we didn’t get snow or below-zero temperatures until late November. The qualitative evidence of climate change, be it warming or cooling, is often more compelling than the quantitative.
But the quantitative research is at the center of this whole Climategate business. (To sum up the entire affair would be beyond the bounds of this column, so use this as a starting point.) The “unidentified persons” who hacked the Climate Research Unit’s e-mail should be brought to justice; this was a crime no matter what it yielded. But assuming what it did yield is ever disseminated in full (so far we have little more than excerpts), it certainly can bring the entire concept into question.
The greatest risk here is further malice across both sides of the climate change debate. I shall now take this time to address as many involved parties as I can think of.
“Warmingists,” do not assume that this is a right-wing hit job with no factual basis. Do not willingly put your heads in the sand after reading about this. You have to admit that the argument of the skeptics (see below) has just gotten more credibility. Do not dismiss them just yet.
Skeptics, do not behave as if the debate is over and you were right all along. You don’t have all the information in this case, and I doubt any of us ever will. Do not assume a dominant posture.
Scientists, do not assume that your credibility is completely shot. You, of all people, should know how to get it back.
Policy makers and venture capitalists, do not assume that any green initiatives have all been for naught. The alternative is to trash them, realize later that it’s all true, and have no recourse. Provided that you give proper authority to the market, it can be a huge economic opportunity.
And finally, undecideds, do not assume anything. Keep your eyes constantly open for new information. Nothing is conclusive yet.
That’s about it. Anyway, we did finally make it to double-digit below-zero temperatures, and I just got in, so I’m going to run downstairs and get a coffee.
Great post. I agree that nothing on either side should be taken for granted, especially at this crucial time, in the wake of ‘Climategate.’ It certainly is a wake-up call– a reminder that of course no one side of this debate should be trusted blindly. Then again, it’s not all or nothing, and the jury’s certainly still out on what exactly these emails point to.
I’m going to link this post to my lesser quality one on the same topic. http://thegreenclash.blogspot.com/
“Nothing is conclusive yet.”
This is the whole point. Al Gore, Copenhagen, and cap-and-trade are all predicated on the insistence that, in fact, it is conclusive that we’re all going to die if we don’t do exactly as we’re told right this minute. Therein lies the great hoax of the global warming debate. To be labeled a “denier” you do not have to mantain firmly that there is no such thing as anthropogenic global warming – you are a “denier” if you deny that the sky is falling and that we must act precipitously and without forethought for the consequences.