Author Archives: curryja

Forget sustainability – it’s about resilience

Posted on May 29, 2013 | 451 comments

by Judith Curry

The concept of resilience encourages us to ask a different set of questions about the way we manage our resources-and therefore ourselves. – Brian Walker

Continue reading →

451 Comments

Posted in Policy

Calling out climate change deniers in Congress

Posted on May 27, 2013 | 777 comments

by Judith Curry

We need to work to curb climate change, and a big step is to raise our voices to change the conversation in Washington. Call these deniers out. Hold them accountable. Ask them if they will admit climate change is a problem. –

Continue reading →

777 Comments

Posted in Politics, Skeptics

Myles Allen: why we’re wasting billions on global warming

Posted on May 26, 2013 | 363 comments

by Judith Curry

Do I think we’re doomed to disastrous warming? Absolutely not. But do I think we are doomed if we persist in our current approach to climate policy? I’m afraid the answer is yes. – Myles Allen

Continue reading →

363 Comments

Posted in Policy, Sociology of science

Open thread weekend

Posted on May 24, 2013 | 473 comments

by Judith Curry

It’s your turn to introduce topics for discussion.

473 Comments

Posted in Week in review

Storm surge hockey stick (?)

Posted on May 24, 2013 | 131 comments

by Judith Curry

“The results show that the extreme sea levels observed during Hurricane Katrina will become ten times more likely if average global temperatures increase by 2°C”, said Dr Jevrejeva. That would mean a storm surge of Katrina proportions every other year. – Alex Kirby

Continue reading →

131 Comments

Posted in Hurricanes

‘All-of-the-above’ approach to energy policy

Posted on May 22, 2013 | 692 comments

The U.S. energy revolution is not confined to a single fuel or technology: oil and gas production, renewable energy, and fuel-efficient automobile technologies all show great promise. To best position the country for the future, U.S. leaders should capitalize on all these opportunities rather than pick a favorite; the answer lies in ‘most of the above.’ – Michael Levi

Continue reading →

692 Comments

Posted in Energy

How to humble a wing nut

Posted on May 21, 2013 | 480 comments

by Judith Curry

A central puzzle of modern American politics is why so many voters can maintain strong political views concerning complex policies yet remain relatively uninformed about how such policies would bring about desired outcomes. – Phillip Fernbach et al.

Continue reading →

480 Comments

Posted in Politics, Sociology of science

Mainstreaming ECS ~ 2 C

Posted on May 19, 2013 | 714 comments

by Judith Curry

Humanity has a second chance to stop dangerous climate change. Temperature data from the last decade offers an unexpected opportunity to stay below the agreed international target of 2 °C of global warming. – New Scientist

Continue reading →

714 Comments

Posted in Sensitivity & feedbacks

On academics, abstraction, and model addiction

Posted on May 19, 2013 | 176 comments

by Judith Curry

What we can see in academic support for climate change is an emotional zeal combined with a highly developed form of abstract thought that is not very healthy, especially when it is combined with a strong sense of self-interest. – Greg Melleuish

Continue reading →

176 Comments

Posted in Sociology of science

Open thread weekend

Posted on May 18, 2013 | 346 comments

by Judith Curry

Its your turn to introduce topics for discussion.

346 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized

DocMartyn’s estimate of climate sensitivity and forecast of future global temperatures

Posted on May 16, 2013 | 569 comments

by DocMartyn

My forecast is that temperatures will remain flat until 2040.

Continue reading →

569 Comments

Posted in Sensitivity & feedbacks

Pasteur’s quadrant

Posted on May 15, 2013 | 134 comments

by Judith Curry

The savage budgetary pressures we will have at least into the 21st Century are part of the reason why we must attempt to develop a fresh contract between science and government. – Donald Stokes

Continue reading →

134 Comments

Posted in Scientific method

Lennart Bengtsson on global climate change

Posted on May 13, 2013 | 656 comments

[T]he really important question is to know how much warmer it will be and how fast this is likely to happen as this determines a realistic and sensible cause of action. In spite of all research and modelling experimentation we are actually less sure what will happen than what might appear from all reassuring reports that dominates the media. – Lennart Bengtsson

Continue reading →

656 Comments

Posted in Communication, Policy

Open thread weekend

Posted on May 11, 2013 | 716 comments

by Judith Curry

It’s your turn to introduce topics for discussion.

716 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized

More on the ‘pause’

Posted on May 7, 2013 | 1,130 comments

by Judith Curry

Is global warming slowing down? – David Appell

Continue reading →

1,130 Comments

Posted in Attribution

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

Continue reading →

420 Comments

Posted in Consensus

Open thread weekend

Posted on May 4, 2013 | 485 comments

by Judith Curry

It’s your turn to introduce topics for discussion.

485 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized

The art and science of effective science advice

Posted on April 28, 2013 | 954 comments

by Judith Curry

“Universities, then, are doing the research. Governments, and their public services, want the evidence. Why is it so difficult to get these two worlds to meet at an intersection of knowledge that can influence in significant ways the making of public policy? Why does Australia’s large public investment in research and development contribute so little to addressing the political response to the nation’s economic and social challenges?” – Peter Shergold

Continue reading →

954 Comments

Posted in Policy

Open thread weekend

Posted on April 27, 2013 | 546 comments

by Judith Curry

It’s your turn to introduce topics for discussion.

546 Comments

Posted in Week in review

Congressional Hearing on Policy-Relevant Climate Issues in Context

Posted on April 25, 2013 | 636 comments

by Judith Curry

The Hearing on Policy-Relevant Climate Issues in Context is now beginning.

Continue reading →

636 Comments

Posted in Policy, Uncategorized

Congressional hearing rescheduled

Posted on April 24, 2013 | 254 comments

by Judith Curry

The U.S. House Subcommittee on Environment Hearing on Policy Relevant Climate Issues in Context will be held tomorrow, April 25 at 10 a.m.

Continue reading →

254 Comments

Posted in Policy

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

Continue reading →

632 Comments

Posted in Consensus

What are the factors contributing to the reduction in U.S. carbon emissions?

Posted on April 21, 2013 | 349 comments

by Judith Curry

The U.S. was the largest emitter carbon dioxide (CO2) until 2006 when China’s emissions exceeded the U.S.  U.S. CO2 emissions from the consumption of fossil fuels peaked in 2007 and have declined significantly over the past five years.  – John Miller

Continue reading →

349 Comments

Posted in Energy

10 signs of intellectual honesty

Posted on April 20, 2013 | 880 comments

by Judith Curry

When it comes to just about any topic, it seems as if the public discourse on the internet is dominated by rhetoric and propaganda. People are either selling products or ideology. In fact, just because someone may come across as calm and knowledgeable does not mean you should let your guard down and trust what they say. What you need to look for is a track record of intellectual honesty. – Mike Gene

Continue reading →

880 Comments

Posted in Ethics

Open thread weekend

Posted on April 19, 2013 | 155 comments

by Judith Curry

It’s your turn to introduce topics for discussion.

155 Comments

Posted in Week in review