Joseph J. Romm's Blog, page 1107

Arctic sea ice area and volume drop near record lows - WattsUpWithThat breaks its own record for fastest overturning of a prediction by reality

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA, click to enlarge) has a widely used plot of sea ice area.

The notion that the Arctic sea ice was somehow on a long-term recovery trend based on a short-term two-dimensional analysis (i.e. sea ice area or extent just over the last 2 years) — had no basis in fact.  That goes double (triple?) when you look at three dimensions (i.e. volume) over a multi-year period, as I'll discuss below.

But first, Anthony Watts and Steven Goddard have published...

More on the Lomborg Deception

If one follows Bjorn Lomborg closely — not for the feint of heart — one can argue that his position has not changed drastically, as some commenters noted (see "Lomborg flip-flop: "Climate change is undoubtedly one of the chief concerns facing the world today").

But that assumes you ascribe a level of nuance to Lomborg that sometimes exists in his writing, but not in how the anti-science ideologues have used him throughout the years.  Below is an excerpt from Media Matters piece, "How will...

Ohio Tea Party survey to candidates: "The regulation of Carbon Dioxide in our atmosphere should be left to God and not government and I oppose all measures of Cap and Trade as well as the teaching of global warming theory in our schools."

At first, I wasn't going to blog on this because I thought it must be a hoax.  Who could possibly ask such a question of candidates?  Then again, the Tea Party have outsourced their thinking on climate to The Viscount Monckton of Brenchley, which is as ridiculous as it gets.

Yesterday, the UK Guardian's Leo Hickman reported the story, "with a side order of jaw drop":

A local Ohioan newspaper called the Sandusky Register has unearthed an email sent out last week by a local Tea Party group...

Energy and Global Warming News for September 1: DOE says 2 million smart meters installed nationwide; Nuclear giant Exelon switching to wind; L.A. mayor, Latinos take on oil companies over Prop 23

Energy Dept. says nationwide 'smart meter' army hits 2 million

The Energy Department said Tuesday more than 2 million "smart" electric meters have been installed nationwide, sped along by funding in the big 2009 stimulus law.

The devices help consumers and businesses track and control power consumption and, hence, costs.

Lots of them (more than 180,000) are in Ohio, where they're being distributed through a partnership between DOE and utility giant American Electric Power.

"As a result of an...

Energy and Global Warming News for September 1: DOE says 2 million smart meters installed nationwide; Nuclear giant Exelon switching to wind

Energy Dept. says nationwide 'smart meter' army hits 2 million

The Energy Department said Tuesday more than 2 million "smart" electric meters have been installed nationwide, sped along by funding in the big 2009 stimulus law.

The devices help consumers and businesses track and control power consumption and, hence, costs.

Lots of them (more than 180,000) are in Ohio, where they're being distributed through a partnership between DOE and utility giant American Electric Power.

"As a result of an...

Breaking: Murkowski concedes Alaska primary defeat - But no, 'dirty air' Lisa is not a "climate change victim" even though her opponent is an anti-science ideologue

Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska conceded late Tuesday in her Republican primary race against Joe Miller, a lawyer from Fairbanks who was backed by Tea Party activists, Sarah Palin and other conservatives.

Mr. Miller shocked the political establishment here and in Washington last week when he emerged with a narrow lead, 1,668 votes, after the primary vote, on Aug. 24. His victory makes him the presumed favorite to win the Senate seat from this heavily Republican state.

That means the GOP...

Geological Society: Acidifying oceans spell marine biological meltdown "by end of century" - Co-author: "Unless we curb carbon emissions we risk mass extinctions, degrading coastal waters and encouraging outbreaks of toxic jellyfish and algae."

A unique 'natural laboratory' in the Mediterranean Sea is revealing the effects of rising carbon dioxide levels on life in the oceans. The results show a bleak future for marine life as ocean acidity rises, and suggest that similar lowering of ocean pH levels may have been responsible for massive extinctions in the past.

That's from a news release (and headline) from the Geological Society of London.  The new study is "Modern seawater acidification: the response of foraminifera to...

Lomborg flip-flop: "Climate change is undoubtedly one of the chief concerns facing the world today." - The one-time "Skeptical Environmentalist" now says, "man-made global warming exists" and "we have long moved on from any mainstream disagreements about

Climate 'sceptic' Bjørn Lomborg now believes global warming is one of world's greatest threats

One of the world's most prominent climate change sceptics has called for a $100bn fund to fight the effects of global warning, after rethinking his views on the severity of the threat.

That's the UK Telegraph's headline.

Bjørn Lomborg: the dissenting climate change voice who changed his tune

With his new book, Danish scientist Bjørn Lomborg has become an unlikely advocate for huge investment in...

Lomborg flip-flop: "Climate change is undoubtedly one of the chief concerns facing the world today." - The one-time "Skeptical Environmentalist" now says, "man-made global warming exists" and "we have long moved on from any mainstream disagreements about

Climate 'sceptic' Bjørn Lomborg now believes global warming is one of world's greatest threats

One of the world's most prominent climate change sceptics has called for a $100bn fund to fight the effects of global warning, after rethinking his views on the severity of the threat.

That's the UK Telegraph's headline.

Bjørn Lomborg: the dissenting climate change voice who changed his tune

With his new book, Danish scientist Bjørn Lomborg has become an unlikely advocate for huge investment in...

Lomborg flip-flop: "Climate change is undoubtedly one of the chief concerns facing the world today." - The one-time "Skeptical Environmentalist" now says, "man-made global warming exists" and "we have long moved on from any mainstream disagreements about

Climate 'sceptic' Bjørn Lomborg now believes global warming is one of world's greatest threats

One of the world's most prominent climate change sceptics has called for a $100bn fund to fight the effects of global warning, after rethinking his views on the severity of the threat.

That's the UK Telegraph's headline.

Bjørn Lomborg: the dissenting climate change voice who changed his tune

With his new book, Danish scientist Bjørn Lomborg has become an unlikely advocate for huge investment in...