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Climate Change Debate: A Famous Scientist Becomes a Skeptic
Spiegel Online ^
| May 12, 2014
| Axel Bojanowski
Posted on 05/13/2014 5:31:32 PM PDT by rottndog
The debate over climate change is often a contentious one, and key players in the discussion only rarely switch sides. But late last month, Lennart Bengtsson, the former director of the Hamburg-based Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, one of the world's leading climate research centers, announced he would join the academic advisory council of the Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF).
GWPF, based in Britain, is a non-profit organization and self-described think tank. Conservative politician Nigel Lawson founded the organization in 2009 in order to counteract what he considered to be an exaggerated concern about global warming. The organization uses aggressive information campaigns to pursue its goals. The lobby group's views markedly differ from those of the UN climate panel, the IPCC, whose reports are the products of the work of hundreds of scientists who classify and analyze vast amounts of climate knowledge accumulated through years of research. The most recent IPCC report states that man-made emissions of greenhouse gases are leading to significant global warming, with serious environmental consequences.
Bengtsson was known for maintaining moderate positions even during the most vitriolic debates over global warming during the 1990s. In an interview with SPIEGEL ONLINE, he discusses why he made the shift to the skeptics' camp.
(Excerpt) Read more at spiegel.de ...
TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bengtsson; climatechange; globallwarming; globullwarming
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Swedish meteorologist Lennart Bengtsson, born in 1935, served as director of the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts in England from 1981 to 1990 and then as director of the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology in Hamburg, one of the world's leading climate research centers. Since his retirement in 2000, he has worked as a professor at the University of Reading in Britain. Bengtsson has been the recipient of numerous awards including the prestigious German Environmental Prize bestowed by the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU). His work is focused largely on climate modelling and weather.
Obviously, he's been bought off by big oil....
1
posted on
05/13/2014 5:31:32 PM PDT
by
rottndog
To: rottndog
Key point from the article:
Bengtsson: I have not changed my view on a fundamental level. I have never seen myself as an alarmist but rather as a scientist with a critical viewpoint, and in that sense I have always been a skeptic. I have devoted most of my career to developing models for predicting the weather, and in doing so I have learned the importance of validating forecasts against observed weather. As a result, that's an approach I strongly favor for "climate predictions." It's essential to validate model results, especially when dealing with complex systems such as the climate. It's essential do so properly if such predictions are to be considered credible.
SPIEGEL ONLINE: You think there's a need for climate research to do some catching up in this regard?
Bengtsson: It is frustrating that climate science is not able to validate their simulations correctly. Since the end of the 20th century, the warming of the Earth has been much weaker than what climate models show.
2
posted on
05/13/2014 5:33:51 PM PDT
by
rottndog
('Live Free Or Die' Ain't just words on a bumber sticker...or a tagline.)
To: rottndog
Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF). I hope any studies to be produced by this foundation get GlowBull warming funding and grants. After all, the foundation itself was formed due to GlowBull warming.
3
posted on
05/13/2014 5:37:28 PM PDT
by
C210N
(When people fear government there is tyranny; when government fears people there is liberty)
To: rottndog
4
posted on
05/13/2014 5:40:21 PM PDT
by
Beowulf9
To: rottndog
Earth’s temperature has gone through cycles of changes, and it will continue to do so. The only question is do humans contribute anything to the current warming trend?
To: rottndog
Ask some geologists about current theories. They will tell you that climate stability is an illusion aided by our short lifespans and impatience. We are still at historic lows re. CO2 and have a long ways to go before we even approach the normal, pre Himalayan levels (as if anything is normal in earth history).
6
posted on
05/13/2014 5:49:01 PM PDT
by
JimSEA
To: rottndog
7
posted on
05/13/2014 5:50:44 PM PDT
by
Mrs. Don-o
(Part of my continuing education.)
To: JimSEA
âPre Himalayan levels.â Is that when dinosaurs return? LOL
To: Fishing-guy
The answer to that question can be answered by looking up into the sky at about 2pm on a sunny day, it’s that huge glowing ball of burning gas in the sky.
9
posted on
05/13/2014 5:54:17 PM PDT
by
5th MEB
(Progressives in the open; --- FIRE FOR EFFECT!!)
To: rottndog
10
posted on
05/13/2014 5:55:04 PM PDT
by
rottndog
('Live Free Or Die' Ain't just words on a bumber sticker...or a tagline.)
To: Fishing-guy
More likely, those mountains are a huge carbon sink.
11
posted on
05/13/2014 5:59:13 PM PDT
by
JimSEA
To: rottndog
"Heretic! Non-believer!"
12
posted on
05/13/2014 6:02:32 PM PDT
by
COBOL2Java
(I'm a Christian, pro-life, pro-gun, Reaganite. The GOP hates me. Why should I vote for them?)
To: rottndog
We all know it is not real. It is ploy to dumb down this country for the “good of all mankind”. Resist it ,crush it like a bug. Vomit out environmentalists,
To: rottndog
The real question that no one asks, and can’t be answered either, is what exactly should the Earth’s climate be?
14
posted on
05/13/2014 6:10:35 PM PDT
by
3boysdad
(The very elect.)
To: 3boysdad
15
posted on
05/13/2014 6:36:33 PM PDT
by
Magic Fingers
(Political correctness mutates in order to remain virulent.)
To: rottndog
His so old he’ll be dead soon. Are there any young, honest scientists?
16
posted on
05/13/2014 6:43:09 PM PDT
by
1010RD
(First, Do No Harm)
To: Fishing-guy
Well, it’s mid-May and 57 degrees in Houston suburbs. I may contribute to warming tonight by turning my fireplace on.
17
posted on
05/13/2014 6:43:53 PM PDT
by
Grams A
(The Sun will rise in the East in the morning and God is still on his throne.)
To: 3boysdad
That’s a great question and one you could ask them about all kinds of environmental questions. All Leftist responses to the environment are status quo. No change, ever... once they’re cozy in their villa.
18
posted on
05/13/2014 6:45:32 PM PDT
by
1010RD
(First, Do No Harm)
To: rottndog
Huh. Who asks scientists about science anymore, now that we have politicians and actors and rock stars?
To: 1010RD
His so old hell be dead soon. Are there any young, honest scientists?
Death bed skeptics have historically been denied thoughtful consideration.
20
posted on
05/13/2014 6:47:30 PM PDT
by
Zeneta
(Thoughts in time and out of season.)
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