So-called “climate change deniers” may try using science to back their arguments; but in reality, science appears to offer very little support.

All the cherry-picking, misinterpretation, twisting of facts and bickering does is delay necessary action and make matters more confusing for those who sit on the fence on the issue. Few people have the time, inclination, background or ability to locate, read through and understand every study (real or imagined) referenced in these arguments.

A myth that often does the rounds is there is a large section of the scientific community who have established humans are not playing a role in climate change. This myth has evolved from a controversial petition listing signatories with claimed academic degrees who (at that point) didn’t believe in the human factor.

Many of the signatories operate in fields that have nothing to do with climate science. Furthermore, other irregularities have been discovered in the petition, such as the inclusion of fake names and it seems some who did originally sign would not sign that petition today.

In the world of science, it’s not a petition but the peer-reviewed article/paper that is king. Scientific peer review dates back hundreds of years and is a quality-control system that scrutinizes new scientific discoveries. It’s not perfect, but generally it’s a system that works.

Science author Jim Powell recently searched for peer-reviewed scientific articles published between 1 January 1991 and 9 November 2012 containing the key-phrases “global warming” or “global climate change.”

He states his search turned up 13,950 articles and of those, only 24 rejected the concept of human-caused global warming – just 0.17%.

 

So where are all these scientists who have carried out enough study to arrive at the conclusion human activity has no impact in relation to climate change and who have had their peer reviewed findings published?

They simply do not exist in anywhere near the quantities some would have us believe – and there isn’t a massive conspiracy preventing dissenting scientists from having their findings published. A cry of conspiracy is sometimes just a weak excuse for a failed argument or belief proved wrong that allows the party to continue perpetuating whatever fantasy.

If you’re butting heads with someone who doesn’t accept humanity is playing a significant role in climate change and that person is quoting weird and wonderful studies or making outrageous claims – don’t waste valuable energy in to and fro; just point the person to Dr. Powell’s site.

I don’t have a major problem with the concept of anthropogenic climate change being challenged, although I believe such arguments are now wasting valuable time and resources. What I do have a big problem with is people regurgitating rubbish or  inventing “facts” in order to try and discredit it.

Given where we are at this point in time; this isn’t just irresponsible, it’s downright dangerous. It’s the inability to accept the truth that has help put us in a situation where we may be too late to avoid some of the damage we could have.