Climate scientists are losing the public debate on global warming

Telegraph (UK) ^ | 9:00AM BST 08 Apr 2012 | Richard Gray, Science Correspondent

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Green campaigners and climate scientists are losing the public debate over global warming, one of the movement's leading proponents has admitted.

Dr James Hansen, director of the Nasa Goddard Institute for Space Studies Photo: PA

Dr James Hansen, director of the Nasa Goddard Institute for Space Studies, who first made warnings about climate change in the 1980s, said that public scepticism about the threat of man-made climate change has increased despite the growing scientific consensus.

Speaking ahead of a public lecture in Edinburgh this week, he admitted that without public support it will be impossible to make the changes he and his colleagues believe need to occur to protect future generations from the effects of climate change.

He blamed sceptics who are opposed to major social and economic changes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for employing "tremendous resources" to undermine the scientific evidence.

Dr Hansen, who will receive the Edinburgh Medal at the Edinburgh International Science Festival, pointed to a number of controversies involving climate scientists, such as the leaked University of East Anglia emails, as being partly responsible for the shift in public opinion.

Critics, however, insist the public have become desensitised by decades of dire warnings by climate scientists.

[Marine_Uncle]

RE: "Maybe he has seen the letter now...."
Maybe his days at NASA will be coming to an end, would be a nicer projection.

[norwaypinesavage]

Dr James Hansen:"There is a very concerted effort by people who would prefer to see business to continue as usual. They have been winning the public debate with the help of tremendous resources. Who knows how the East Anglia email fiasco came about?"

These are the words of a paranoid schizophrenic. He is totally out of touch with reality and deserves pity and maybe hospitalization - certainly not adulation. The US government alone funds him and his cohorts over three billion dollars annually. His detractors are mostly not funded. Even I know how the "East Anglia email fiasco came about". It came about because of damning emails sent by and to the conspirators at East Anglia.

[SunkenCiv]

Not true — climate scientists are winning the debate, while frauds, phonies, and criminals are losing it.

And, this is years after Al “Animatronic” Gore shouted that the debate was over.

Thanks Ernest.

[98ZJ USMC]

"tremendous resources". Otherwise known as common sense.