The mainstream news media regularly points out that the overwhelming majority of scientists and scientific organizations believe that global warming is real and humans are the primary cause of it.
However, the fact is that climate change remains a controversial topic even within the scientific community. Four hundred scientific papers released this year alone suggest humans are not to blame for the current state of the world’s weather. Following is an overview of some of the diverse opinions scientists hold on global warming and its causes.
The Sun’s Role in Climate Change
A recent study by Tejedor, et al notes that the main driver of warm and cold weather episodes may be changes in solar activity. A report by Yndestad and Solheim backs this up by noting that few sunspots on the sun denotes that solar activity is lower; during such periods it is not uncommon to experience cool weather. On the other hand, multiple sunspots indicate high solar activity and bring about warm climate periods.
It is interesting to note that even mainstream scientists concede that the sun plays a significant role in climate change. In fact, some reputable scientists are debating the pros and cons of releasing sulphate aerosols into the upper atmosphere in order to prevent some of the sun’s rays from reaching earth.
A study done in the UK found that this course of action could decrease both the number and intensity of annual hurricanes as well as stop coral bleaching and even lower sea surface temperatures. However, the plan may not gain much traction due to the fact that there is no guarantee it would be successful long-term and potentially harmful effects would not be easily reversible.
Nature Taking its Course
Well-known social scientist and author Steven Mosher spoke out about one particularly important climate change fallacy that many scientists deliberately fail to notice — the fact that the earth has always had extreme temperature shifts.
As Mosher accurately states, weather patterns in the 1970s led many climate experts to believe that another Ice Age was on the way; now, experts believe the opposite is taking place as they continually warn the world about global warming. What is more, it is a well-known fact that weather oscillations go back thousands of years.
Recent scientific reports back up Mosher’s assertions. Both Conroy et al and Verdon-Kidd et al have found that rainfall and runoff levels fall well within the range of natural variability.
The Heartland Institute points out that severe hurricane seasons are nothing new, as there are records of deadly hurricanes hitting the Caribbean as well as the United States for the last several hundred years. It is also not unusual for a single storm season to bring about several deadly hurricanes in a single year, as was the case with Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne in 2004 and Dennis, Katrina, Rita and Wilma in 2005.
Volcanic and Tectonic Activity
A number of additional reports suggest that volcanic and tectonic activity are contributing to present climate conditions.
The Viterito report, for example, found that seismic activity is directly linked to up to 66% of global temperature variations since 1979. The Huhtemaa and Helama report found that more than 50% of all agricultural crises in the report’s study region were connected with cooling caused by volcanic activity.
These findings are hardly surprising, as it is well-known that volcanic eruptions release ash and Sulphur gas that have a cooling effect on the weather. Additionally, a study done by German and Swiss scientists in 2013 found that earthquakes release methane into the atmosphere, thus trapping heat in the atmosphere.
It is all too common to hear mainstream scientists warning of the dire consequences of not “doing something” about climate change. Their suggestions range from using more natural power (i.e. wind, solar and hydroelectricity) to population control. However, climate change is not a settled science, and the general public should not meekly accept whatever suggestions the scientific community happens to be giving at the time.
While it is clear that there have been changes in the world’s climate, and some of these changes are certainly detrimental, humans are not necessarily at fault for all or even any of these changes. It is important to listen to what the entire scientific community has to say about climate change in order to get a well-rounded view of the facts, and make wise decisions that are really in the planet’s best interests.
~ Conservative Zone
