Category Archives: Consensus

UN climate talks: no consensus on consensus

Posted on June 17, 2013 | 258 Comments

AFP - A debilitating row with Russia at UN climate talks this week exposed a fundamental flaw in how decisions are taken — the entire system balanced precariously on an ill-defined notion of consensus, observers say.

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Posted in Consensus, Policy

Consensus and controversy

Posted on May 6, 2013 | 420 Comments

by Judith Curry

This report outlines the main positions and debates surrounding the literally hot topic of man-made global warming.  Inspired by social studies of science and technology, the goal of the report is to document, describe and take stock of this potent scientific and public ‘battlefield’ that plays out arguably some of the more pressing issues of our time. – Emil Royrvik

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Posted in Consensus

Do scientific assessments need to be consensual to be authoritative?

Posted on April 22, 2013 | 632 Comments

by Judith Curry

The drive for consensus within the IPCC process, and its subsequent public marketing, has becomes a source of scientific weakness rather than of scientific strength in the turbulent social discourses on climate change. – Mike Hulme

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Posted in Consensus

Trusting (?) the experts

Posted on January 10, 2013 | 969 Comments

by Judith Curry

Mathbabe asks ‘Whom can you trust?’ and discusses trusting experts, climate change research, and scientific translators.

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Posted in Consensus, Sociology of science

Climate change: no consensus on consensus

Posted on October 28, 2012 | 1,310 Comments

by Judith Curry

The manufactured consensus of the IPCC has had the unintended consequences of distorting the science, elevating the voices of scientists that dispute the consensus, and motivating actions by the consensus scientists and their supporters that have diminished the public’s trust in the IPCC.

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Posted in Consensus, Scientific method, Sociology of science

The ‘hard won’ consensus

Posted on September 3, 2012 | 911 Comments

by Judith Curry

The extent to which a consensus is “hard won” can be understood to depend on the personal qualities of the participating experts.” Brent Ranalli

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Posted in Communication, Consensus, Skeptics

AMS Statement on Climate Change

Posted on August 27, 2012 | 354 Comments

by Judith Curry

The American Meteorological Society (AMS) has just published its new statement on Climate Change.

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Posted in Consensus

‘Consensus’ by exhaustion

Posted on August 8, 2012 | 508 Comments

by Judith Curry

Regarding the consensus-seeking process for the IPCC SAR:

It is diplomacy by exhaustion. And then it becomes consensus by exhaustion as we shall see. – Bernie Lewin

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Posted in Consensus

What climate sensitivity says about the IPCC assessment process

Posted on July 22, 2012 | 204 Comments

by Rud Istvan

If climate sensitivity is high, then modest GHG increases cause significant warming. If it is low, then significant GHG increases will not. Analysis of the IPCC assessment of sensitivity provides another window into the ‘government-climate research’ complex and its propensity to overstate future warming, misrepresent findings, and dismiss challenging evidence.

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Posted in Attribution, Consensus

No consensus on consensus: Part II

Posted on July 13, 2012 | 1,044 Comments

by Judith Curry

I’ve been invited to write a paper on the topic of consensus in climate change.

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Posted in Consensus, Policy, Scientific method, Sociology of science, Uncertainty

Between tribalism and trust

Posted on July 10, 2012 | 557 Comments

by Judith Curry

By addressing the symptoms (lack of information and communication) rather than the underlying causes (lack of public accountability and transparency), the IPCC leadership is failing to adequately address the problem of restoring expert credibility. By using its communication strategy as a means of “gatekeeping,” the IPCC is exacerbating rather than solving the problem of public trust caused by the authoritarian and exclusive performance of the “establishment.” – Silke Beck

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Posted in Consensus