Summary for Policymakers
Confidential Draft in preparation for Final Government Review
Note: The content of this draft should not be cited or
quoted, and is embargoed from news coverage
Tag Archive for Global Warming
United Kingdom
Climatic Research Unit Emails: “You are asking people to prostitute themselves”
Your approach of trying to gain scientific credibility for your personal views by asking people to endorse your letter is reprehensible. No scientist who wishes to maintain respect in the community should ever endorse any statement unless they have examined the issue fully themselves. You are asking people to prostitute themselves by doing just this! I fear that some will endorse your letter, in the mistaken belief that you are making a balanced and knowledgeable assessment of the science — when, in fact, you are presenting a flawed view that neither accords with IPCC nor with the bulk of the scientific and economic literature on the subject.
United Kingdom, United Nations
Climatic Research Unit Documents: IPCC Working Group Fourth Assessment Expert Review
I have four chief concerns with this chapter. First, there are numerous important references left out, and an over-emphasis on papers by the authors themselves, which do not accurately reflect the communities’ view. In general, the certainty with which this chapter presents our understanding of abrupt climate change is overstated. There is confusion between hypothesis and evidence throughout the chapter, and a great deal of confusion on the difference between an abrupt “climate change” and possible, hypothetical cuases of such climate changes (e.g. Heinrich events). Second, the use of the terms “very likely”, “likely”, etc. are not in conformance with the rest of the IPCC document — some things that are virtually certain are listed as “likely” and mere hypotheses, largely untested, are listed as “very likely”. This carelessness does not add credibility to this chapter. Third, extensive reference is made to a very few recent papers that have not yet been thoroughly considered by the scientific community, and whose relevance to future climate is, in my judgement, greatly overstated.
United Nations
U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change Copenhagen Draft Treaty
17. [[Developed [and developing] countries] [Developed and developing country Parties] [All Parties] [shall] [should]:]
(a) Compensate for damage to the LDCs’ economy and also compensate for lost opportunities, resources, lives, land and dignity, as many will become environmental refugees;
(b) Africa, in the context of environmental justice, should be equitably compensated for environmental, social and economic losses arising from the implementation of response
measures.
Switzerland
Weather Info for All Initiative 2008-2012
Reliable weather information allows farmers to maximize their productivity and governments to implement preventative disaster management and effective public health measures. However, many of the world’s poorest people have no access to this basic, most valuable tool. An estimated 700 million poor people in rural Africa alone are negatively affected by this missed opportunity. This is especially worrisome given recent changes in weather patterns, due to climate change, which are compounding the problem by making traditional farming practices and indigenous knowledge obsolete, and increasing the frequency and intensity of severe weather.