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Could someone with domain knowledge give feedback on the specifics she brings up? As I take it, the backbone of her argument is: 1) "If climate sensitivity is
by nkurz 10y ago
Could someone with domain knowledge give feedback on the specifics she brings up? As I take it, the backbone of her argument is:
1) "If climate sensitivity is high, then we can expect substantial warming in the coming century as emissions continue to increase. If climate sensitivity is low, then future warming will be substantially lower."
2) "In fact, it seems that uncertainty about values of ECS has been increasing. The bottom of the ‘likely’ range has been lowered from 2 to 1.5oC in the AR5, whereas the AR4 stated that ECS is very unlikely to be less than 1.5oC. It is also significant that the AR5 does not cite a best estimate, whereas the AR4 cites a best estimate of 3oC. The stated reason for not citing a best estimate in the AR5 is the substantial discrepancy between observation-based estimates of ECS (lower), versus estimates from climate models (higher).
3) "If the climate sensitivity is on the low end of the range of estimates, and natural internal variability is on the strong side of the distribution of climate models, different conclusions are drawn about the relative importance of human causes to the 20th century warming."
4) "Whether or not human caused global warming is dangerous or not depends critically on whether the ECS value is closer to 1.5oC or 4.5oC."
5) "Given the uncertainties in equilibrium climate sensitivity and the magnitude and phasing of natural internal variability on decadal to century timescales, combined with the failure of climate models to explain the early 20th century warming and the mid-century cooling, I conclude that the climate models are not fit for the purpose of identifying with high confidence the proportional amount of natural versus human causes to the 20th century warming."
Is this an accurate summary of facts? Do we have good evidence about the true value of ECS that she does not mention? Is there evidence for scenarios where a 'low end' Equilibrium Climate Sensitivity still results in a dangerous warming? Or are there indeed values for ECS that would be considered 'likely' but do not result in dangerous warming?
Lack of knowledge about the true value of ECS is not an excuse to avoid precautionary measures, but it would seem to raise questions about the suitability of current climate models as predictors for future climate. At the least, it would imply that determining the true ECS should be a very high priority while other mitigation measures are taken.
- xapata 10y agoIt sounds like she's advocating for a political policy of doing nothing, because of "uncertainty". Consider our position on risk/uncertainty when it comes to minor disasters like an airplane hijacking. Now consider the appropriate response to the risk of a nation-destroying disaster. Is it reasonable to take the do-nothing policy?
- nkurz 10y agoWhile there is probably a legitimate fear that others will use her evidence to claim that , I see her as making a more limited claim in this piece: current GCM's cannot reliably be used to make definitive claims about climate a century out, and therefore should not be relied on for policy decisions unless their true uncertainty (model risk) is accounted for. Which quotes from this piece do you read as a "call to inaction"? That said, it's true that she does write elsewhere about her belief that uncertainty does not necessarily increase the urgency of action: https://judithcurry.com/2016/01/05/climate-models-and-precautionary-measures/ https://judithcurry.com/2016/01/05/climate-models-and-precau.... I haven't read many of the linked posts, but it would seem fair to summarize her position as something like "we don't yet have sufficient understanding of the problem to justify taking actions that will cause definite harm".
- xapata 10y agoIf "definite harm" includes moderate financial cost, that's a disastrous policy.
- basurihn 10y agoDepends on the risk. The chances of some calamity may be so low that the cost of prevention is not worth it.
- xapata 10y agoOf course. But that isn't the case here.
- basurihn 10y agoI'm not sure how you know that, given that none but the most doctor ozish of climate scientists (Hansen and ilk) will claim the doomsday scenarios are likely. Even then, other climate scientists will quickly repudiate such claims. As they have. All fields have their attention whores and serial exaggerators. They are better ignored. Or perhaps you are referring to the opinions of advocates or true believers? Those opinions, unfortunately, saturate the media. As with any controversial science, a reading of the contrasting opinions of phds would do you far better.