H. Leighton Steward: Will They Come?

Concerned with statements made by current NASA officials that the science of climate change is settled and that it is now certain that man-made CO2 will result in catastrophic global warming, a group of former NASA scientists have formed a group to review the basis of such statements. Calling themselves the “Right Climate Stuff” team, they have begun inviting experts from both sides of the almost non-existent public debate concerning the human impact on global climate change to present their data and conclusions. But will they come?

The Right Climate Stuff (RCS) team’s objective is to review the data and computer models being used by the often alarmist proponents of man-made climate change as well as historical reconstructions relied upon by scientists questioning whether the human impact on climate is significant or insignificant compared with natural climate drivers. To date, a number of invitations have been sent and some preliminary reviews have been held.

As an unpaid volunteer group with no political agendas or current ties to the fossil fuel industry, the RCS team offers an excellent opportunity for the various groups or individuals to defend their positions and data on the impact of man-made CO2 on the climate. For scientists who have declared the science is settled now face flagging public support and trust, this will provide an opportunity to drive that point home before an objective interdisciplinary team of reputable scientists. For skeptical scientists, this evaluation process will offer a rare public opportunity to make their case in an objective forum.

It will be interesting to see which, if any, experts from the pro-manmade climate change camp accept the invitation to present to the RCS team. While skeptics have historically been quite willing to defend their positions in public venues, proponents of man-made climate change have avoided publicly defending their theories and remain content to publish their studies in science journals where their theories and data go unchallenged.

Since tens of thousands of scientists have now stepped forward to publicly declare their doubts about a major role for CO2 in causing catastrophic climate change and recent polls show support for climate change action declining, at some point scientists advocating man-made climate change are going to have to step forward and publicly defend their positions with hard data or risk losing the trust of the scientific community and the public.

Eenrgy Tribune