International Climate Panel Cites Near Certainty On Warming

mdsolar writes "An international panel of scientists has found with near certainty that human activity is the cause of most of the temperature increases of recent decades, and warns that sea levels could conceivably rise by more than three feet by the end of the century if emissions continue at a runaway pace. The scientists, whose findings are reported in a draft summary of the next big United Nations climate report, largely dismiss a recent slowdown in the pace of warming, which is often cited by climate change doubters, attributing it most likely to short-term factors. The report emphasizes that the basic facts about future climate change are more established than ever, justifying the rise in global concern. It also reiterates that the consequences of escalating emissions are likely to be profound." This comes alongside news of research into one of those short-term factors: higher than average rainfall over Australia. "Three atmospheric patterns came together above the Indian and Pacific Oceans in 2010 and 2011. When they did, they drove so much precipitation over Australia that the world's ocean levels dropped measurably." According to Phys.org, "A rare combination of two other semi-cyclic climate modes came together to drive such large amounts of rain over Australia that the continent, on average, received almost one foot (300 millimeters) of rain more than average. ... Since 2011, when the atmospheric patterns shifted out of their unusual combination, sea levels have been rising at a faster pace of about 10 millimeters (0.4 inches) per year."

Comments

Re:Money and age

[P-niiice]

Science and common sense are behind the wheel. Environmentalists are behind the correct side of the argument, and that burns conservatives to hell.

"Slowdown" = Stop

[MSTCrow5429]

The "recent slowdown recent slowdown in the pace of warming" is more accurately written as "the cessation of global warming since 1998." When AGW proponents make accurate but misleading claims, it's not a surprise when the rest of us look on in doubt.

Re:Yup, we're boned

[asylumx]

Are you saying that instead of trying to curb emissions, we should focus on raising our coastal cities up about 3 ft to cope with what's coming?

Re:Black Swan ....

[Arker]

The problem here is that they have already claimed absolute certainty for their conclusions long ago, and spent decades defending those conclusions using every dirty trick in the book. With that strong commitment to a particular conclusion verified, demonstrated, and really made into an article of faith (with anyone who expresses the slightest doubt vilified and ostracised as a 'denier') it would be naive to expect further work to amount to anything but confirming biases.