World’s climate experts have responded negatively to a Department of Energy report that flips the consensus about human effects on the environment.
More than 85 environmental scientists have submitted their review of the US government’s Climate Working Group report on climate change [PDF].
The report, released by the US Department of Energy (DOE), is heavily criticised by the scientists, who say that its contents cherry-pick or misrepresent climate data, and present a positive spin on climatic effects, such as stating that rising carbon dioxide levels can be of benefit to agriculture.
Andrew Dessler, a climate scientist at Texas A&M University, said “This report makes a mockery of science. It relies on ideas that were rejected long ago, supported by misrepresentations of the body of scientific knowledge, omissions of important facts, arm waving, anecdotes, and confirmation bias. This report makes it clear DOE has no interest in engaging with the scientific community.”
The report states, “Elevated concentrations of CO2 directly enhance plant growth, globally contributing to ‘greening’ the planet and increasing agricultural productivity […]. They also make the oceans less alkaline (lower the pH).”
In an email to NPR, Ben Dietderich, the DOE’s chief spokesperson says the report was subject to internal review before release, and that “the Trump administration is committed to engaging in a more thoughtful and science-based conversation about climate change and energy.”
According to John Cook, senior research fellow at the University of Melbourne, “The DOE report is basically arguing climate change is no big deal, therefore we shouldn’t act.” With statements in the report such as “U.S. policy actions are expected to have undetectably small direct impacts on the global climate and any effects will emerge only with long delay,” Cook’s assertion seems accurate.
The DOE’s Climate Working Group that created the contested report was coordinated by Travis Fisher, the director of energy and environmental policy studies at the right-wing pressure group, the Cato Institute. Fisher stated that if there are errors in the report, they will be corrected. “It’s just a matter of good government and good science to address all comments that come in.”
The Cato Institute favours policies “that are consistent with the traditional American principles of limited government, individual liberty, and peace,” according to its own literature. It has argued in the past for the privatisation of US schools and social security, and is on the record as opposing Wall Street regulation.
The Trump administration’s mantra of ‘drill baby drill,’ pro-fossil fuel stance, and tendency to arrest officials that disagree with current White House ideology mean that it’s unlikely the 85+ scientists’ criticism of the Climate Working Group’s work will have any impact on US policy.
“A changing climate has been the norm throughout the Earth’s 4.6-billion-year history,” the report reads.
(Image source: “Nero’s Fiddle” by paurian is licensed under CC BY 2.0.)
Want to experience the full spectrum of enterprise technology innovation? Join TechEx in Amsterdam, California, and London. Covering AI, Big Data, Cyber Security, IoT, Digital Transformation, Intelligent Automation, Edge Computing, and Data Centres, TechEx brings together global leaders to share real-world use cases and in-depth insights. Click here for more information.
TechHQ is powered by TechForge Media. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars here.
