Post by StuartG on Aug 3, 2011 10:14:50 GMT 1
"Chris de Freitas and Keith Hunter: The great climate debate"
By Keith Hunter and Chris de Freitas
5:30 AM Tuesday Jul 26, 2011
"Most of the highly accurate sea level gauges installed around Australia and on Pacific atolls show that sea level rise is smaller than the global average.
Only computer models tell us that it will rise rapidly in the future. "
"Recent research led by Henrik Svensmark, a physicist at the Danish National Space Centre in Copenhagen, explains that, during sunspot-free periods, the stream of particles from the sun is much reduced.
As a direct result, more high energy cosmic rays reach lower altitudes and trigger the formation of more clouds. As clouds reflect sunlight, increased cloudiness causes cooling.
The same theory might also explain the recent period (1979-1988) of warming. The sun was active, the earth was shielded from cosmic rays, cloud cover reduced and the world warmed.
The main conclusion from the above is that the science is far from settled and the odds now favour the hypothesis that the main drivers of climate change are natural.
But the truth is nobody fully understands the climate. "
"A prudent government would make sure that we are prepared for a climate that is forever changing, be it warming or cooling. "
"* Chris de Freitas is an associate professor in the School of Environment at the University of Auckland. "
----
"This is in direct contradiction to the view expressed by Christchurch-born leading climate scientist Kevin Trenberth of the US National Centre for Atmospheric Research. "
"Let's look at some facts: during the August 2003 European heatwave, temperatures in large areas of France were 7C above average, leading to 30,000 premature deaths and unprecedented decreases in crop yields.
Climate scientists have shown that such events are now twice as likely to happen compared with 50 years ago because of global warming. "
"Thus climate scientists are concluding that the worldwide increase in heatwaves and flood-producing rainfalls, and the decreased cold nights and frost days, are all very likely a result of global warming.
Munich Re, one of the world's leading reinsurers, puts it like this: "The only plausible explanation for the rise in weather-related catastrophes is climate change. The view that weather extremes are more frequent and intense due to global warming coincides with the current state of scientific knowledge."
Finally, we may ponder the principle of academic freedom.
De Freitas is free to hold whatever opinions he chooses, and to voice them in public.
But when teaching a first-year university course, the onus on the lecturer is surely to present a comprehensive view of mainstream science, even if it goes against his or her personal views.
Academic freedom is a fundamental right, but it does carry responsibilities. "
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10740806
By Keith Hunter and Chris de Freitas
5:30 AM Tuesday Jul 26, 2011
"Most of the highly accurate sea level gauges installed around Australia and on Pacific atolls show that sea level rise is smaller than the global average.
Only computer models tell us that it will rise rapidly in the future. "
"Recent research led by Henrik Svensmark, a physicist at the Danish National Space Centre in Copenhagen, explains that, during sunspot-free periods, the stream of particles from the sun is much reduced.
As a direct result, more high energy cosmic rays reach lower altitudes and trigger the formation of more clouds. As clouds reflect sunlight, increased cloudiness causes cooling.
The same theory might also explain the recent period (1979-1988) of warming. The sun was active, the earth was shielded from cosmic rays, cloud cover reduced and the world warmed.
The main conclusion from the above is that the science is far from settled and the odds now favour the hypothesis that the main drivers of climate change are natural.
But the truth is nobody fully understands the climate. "
"A prudent government would make sure that we are prepared for a climate that is forever changing, be it warming or cooling. "
"* Chris de Freitas is an associate professor in the School of Environment at the University of Auckland. "
----
"This is in direct contradiction to the view expressed by Christchurch-born leading climate scientist Kevin Trenberth of the US National Centre for Atmospheric Research. "
"Let's look at some facts: during the August 2003 European heatwave, temperatures in large areas of France were 7C above average, leading to 30,000 premature deaths and unprecedented decreases in crop yields.
Climate scientists have shown that such events are now twice as likely to happen compared with 50 years ago because of global warming. "
"Thus climate scientists are concluding that the worldwide increase in heatwaves and flood-producing rainfalls, and the decreased cold nights and frost days, are all very likely a result of global warming.
Munich Re, one of the world's leading reinsurers, puts it like this: "The only plausible explanation for the rise in weather-related catastrophes is climate change. The view that weather extremes are more frequent and intense due to global warming coincides with the current state of scientific knowledge."
Finally, we may ponder the principle of academic freedom.
De Freitas is free to hold whatever opinions he chooses, and to voice them in public.
But when teaching a first-year university course, the onus on the lecturer is surely to present a comprehensive view of mainstream science, even if it goes against his or her personal views.
Academic freedom is a fundamental right, but it does carry responsibilities. "
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10740806