Climate Science Watch

The Economist offers a watered-down reading of the recently released IPCC assessment report on climate change Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability. The article discusses the report’s dire warnings about the impacts of climate change if current trends continue.  But it draws conclusions that misrepresent and minimize the level of agreement among scientists and the urgency of our need for climate action. Continue reading →

"We're now in an era where climate change isn't some kind of future hypothetical," said Chris Field, co-chair of the IPCC Working Group II 2014 climate change assessment report on Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability. "We live in an era where impacts from climate change are already widespread and consequential." 115 governments accepted the report, unanimously approved the text of the "Summary for Policymakers," and released the report on March 31 in Yokohama. The summary mentions the word "risk" an average of about 5 1/2 times per page, according to a report in the Associated Press. That sounds about right. The scientists do risk assessment; it's up to the rest of us to do risk management commensurate with the global problem they have characterized and warned us about with increasing urgency. Continue reading →

Several news sources, including The Guardian, the Associated Press, and the Yomiuri Shimbun, have published articles from Japan previewing some strong conclusions to expect in the IPCC climate change assessment report on Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability, to be released in Yokohama on March 31. It's good to see this latest IPCC report on the impacts of global climatic disruption, drafted and reviewed by many of the leading scientists in multiple disciplines, focusing on risk assessment, risk management, and preparedness. Continue reading →