One of the problems with the theory of human-caused climate change is that it depends on Computer Models that do not in any way match reality. As climatologist Dr. Tim Ball noted in a recent piece, “Their predictions or projections are still wrong, but still being used to determine global environmental and energy policy.”
Now, a group of British researchers has published a study in Nature Geoscience that suggests that the rate of Global warming has been greatly exaggerated in the climate models used by scientists and government policymakers. Keep in mind that the study still maintains that climate change is a threat that needs addressing.
It's just not happening so quickly and harshly.
Reality diverges from the models
The climate change models that most are relying on were created about ten years ago and predicted a rapid acceleration in global warming. However, that acceleration did not take place in the real world. The British researchers have concluded that the amount of carbon dioxide needed to send global temperatures 1.5 degrees C above preindustrial levels is greater than previously thought.
The world still has time to stop global warming
The results of the study, which is being disputed by other climate scientists, have not, ironically, caused people to rein in their desire to stop CO2 emissions and to end fossil fuel-derived energy.
The study has, oddly, caused policymakers to want to redouble such efforts. The dirty little secret was that under the old model, global warming was proceeding at such a rate that many had quietly despaired of fixing the problem. Now, fixing global warming is possible – albeit barely.
How do we fix global warming?
Leaving aside the view of some scientists, such as Judith Curry, that climate change is not that great of a problem, the issue remains, how to curb carbon emissions without destroying the world economy?
Solar and wind, while great niche methods of generating energy, are not sufficient to replace natural gas and coal. Nuclear power certainly does not emit CO2 but has become politically dubious in the wake of high-profile nuclear accidents such as the one that took place at Fukushima in Japan.
Practical fusion power would certainly go a long way toward replacing fossil fuels.
Fusion energy would be limitless and clean to operate. Some entrepreneurs are working on ways to extract CO2 out of the atmosphere and make useful products out of it. Carbon capture at the point of emissions from power plants is another possibility. Electric cars will also go a long way toward curbing emissions.
Resistance to the idea of human-caused climate change is not so much based on “science denial” than on the suspicion that the theory is being used to justify government policies that will hurt people. If the global warming alarmists were to develop solutions that do not involve harming the poor and middle class, they would go a long way towards gaining credibility.
