The Science Museum in London has recently announced (The Times article, 24 March 2010) that due to the increase in the public’s scepticism over climate change, helped by the recent ‘Climategate’ revelations, that it is revising its past practice of trying to convince people of global warming. It will now change the new exhibition name from ‘Climate Change Gallery‘ to ‘Climate Science Gallery‘ and maintain a neutral position as to whether climate change is real and the possible causes.
Now that’s a great win for us ‘Climate Change Debaters’… You see I want to start a new group, as I’m not a climate change denier nor a climate change sceptic.
I’m currently reading a book called ‘Heaven and Earth’ by Ian Plimer, a renowned Australian geologist. It’s an interesting book in that reminds you that there has been a constant cycle of ice age and warming periods for hundreds of thousands of years with varying levels of carbon dioxide and asks ‘what was the cause of these fluctuations?’ It obviously wasn’t man made as we weren’t even around for most of that time!
So is the sun activity reducing and starting a cooling period, are man-made gasses (carbon, methane, nitrogen) influencing this effect in any way at all or is it a complex combination of the whole universe?
I don’t doubt that the climate is changing but I just believe that there should be an honest, open debate as to the possible causes, the probable effects, the rate of change and the best way to manage them.
I know this is wishful thinking as too many groups – politicians, businesses etc – have ulterior motives for continuing this climate change panic. I may as well be asking for the moon!
I can but live in hope!