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Mailbag pits Modeller vs Modeller

Another good read, but I think I partially disagree with some elements. "Climategate" matters as a precautionary tale: it's proof that scientists are fallible human beings too, and that we need to look into ways of policing science rather better.

But the climate is still something we need to study. We need to understand more about it before we can be confident in our predictions of what the future may hold. We're still not even close to knowing everything we need to know, but we are at least more aware of its complex mechanisms.

Having so little knowledge is dangerous; tinkering with our ecology could have disastrous effects, no matter how well-meaning our intentions. Geo-engineering mega-projects aimed at "solving" global warming may be more harmful than not doing anything at all. Hubris is the real danger here. We can cut most of our emissions by simply switching to nuclear—fission will do for now; fusion when we've finally got that technology nailed.

Earth's climate has done nothing but change since the planet was formed, and we do need to be aware of the implications. We just don't know what those implications are. Yet.

In the meantime, simply improving our emergency and disaster contingency plans will suffice.

Sean.


Interesting article, perhaps you should include some more detail from the HARRY_READ_ME file.   However, you seem to have missed the important questions;   “We know that the politicians use science to justify policy that they have already decided to implement for other reasons (see chief science advisor, the Home Office etc etc) and will carefully select the science that seems to help or deliberately misinterpret / delete any science that dares not to support policy.

Given this what policy decision is anthropogenic warming actually supporting?

What are the real objectives of the policy?

Who are the interests behind this who stand to gain from our policy reaction to global warming?”   It is notable that many in the defence industry are most concerned about energy security, is this the source of the climate fuss?   Liam Newcombe

A couple of emails have generated lengthy correspondence, but I'm off on my holidays. See you in a week. ®

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