How misinformed are you about global warming?

Online surveys, including the one which had "30,000 experts and scientists" saying there was not emergency, and the "11,000 scientists" saying there is an emergency are both noise. There are tens of millions of people in the world who can legitimately lay claim to being a scientist of one form or another, so these numbers are statistically insignificant.

What is disappointing is poor reporting by the mainstream media, who consistently mix up what is plausible, with what is likely. This results in many people who have limited exposure (and rely on the media to be informed), either being misinformed or losing trust.

Some make the mistake in thinking that establishing that humans are impacting is some kind of a debate, or is not proven. They make the mistake that saying that the science isn't settled, or that scientists disagree.

Actually, that isn't true.

Scientists who are qualified all agree that the observed data clearly show that humans have been making a difference.

The science is settled.

"This experimental data should effectively end the argument by skeptics that no experimental evidence exists for the connection between greenhouse gas increases in the atmosphere and global warming." (Evans 2006)

There have been attempts to refute this claim, however these attempts themselves have been refuted.

We are all free to form our own beliefs and express opinions. In so doing, the following questions may help:

• By saying that the science about human activities cause global warming is not settled, do you realize you are contradicting the scientists who work directly in the field of climatology?
• What is your science?
• On whom (or what) are you placing your trust in to believe this?
• Have they been discredited and / or are funded by corporations who profit from the sale of fossil fuels?
• What was the methodology used?
• Was the research peer reviewed?
• Were the findings reviewed and accepted or refuted?

Here's a statement by a group of scientists who reviewed the much quoted (and misquoted!) AR5 report (see link below for source):

"Human emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases have changed the composition of the atmosphere over the last two centuries. This is expected to take Earth’s climate out of the relatively stable range that has characterised the last few thousand years, during which human society has emerged. Measurements of ice cores and sea-floor sediments show that the current concentration of carbon dioxide, at just over 400 parts per million, has not been experienced for at least three million years. This causes more of the heat from the Sun to be retained on Earth, warming the atmosphere and ocean.

The global average of atmospheric temperature has so far risen by about 1?C compared to the late 19th century, with further increases expected dependent on the trajectory of carbon dioxide emissions in the next few decades."

(The list of the Professors and scientists who contributed to the report are lists, along with their affiliations, on page 34 of the report).

I found a review on AR5 published in 2017 to be helpful in three ways:

1. The first is its intended purpose, to provide an update from the AR5 report published in 2013.
2. The second is that it reveals how accurate the findings were in AR5. Mostly the papers reviewed confirm the 2013 findings.
3. The third is how vigorously findings are challenged, and who challenges them. In my view this increases confidence.

What is important to the world is to ensure that the masses do get to understand the above, that the science is very clear and that many of the scientists themselves are alarmed. Many are calling for urgent action.

Because the voting public make a difference, it is an imperative that this knowledge becomes mainstream. That message has definitely has not gotten through to the all of the representatives in US Congress.

And sadly, what happens in the US impacts everyone.

What I have found to be effective is to change minds by engaging with those who deny. By respecting everyone while vigorously questioning all statements. My hope is to encourage others to do the same.

In my view, the tide is turning.

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Bruce Hudson is founder of Enzman. Hudson has worked in tech and related areas since the late 1980s, including working with research and development teams. More recently, he has been studying misinformation and is currently writing a book on Information Security.