How to Talk to a Climate Sceptic

Below is a listing of all the articles to be found in the "How to Talk to a Climate Sceptic" guide, presented as a handy one-stop shop for all the material you should need to rebut the more common anti-global warming science arguments constantly echoed across the internet.

In what I hope is an improvement on the original categorization, they have been divided and subdivided along 4 separate lines: Stages of Denial, Scientific Topics, Types of Argument, Levels of Sophistication. This should facilitate quick retrieval of specific entries. Individual articles will appear under multiple headings and may even appear in multiple subcategories in the same heading.

Please feel free to quote from, paraphrase, link to and otherwise use any or all of them in the best way possible to fight the good fight against mis- and dis- information where ever it appears! Email suggestions for new topics or links to more current scientific information to "a(dot)few(dot)things(dot)illconsidered(at)gmail(dot)com" or leave them in the comments.

(all rights are reserved for commercial use. Linkbacks are greatly appreciated. Please do not represent this material verbatim as your own)

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Stages of Denial

 

1. There's nothing happening

1. Inadequate Evidence

• There's no reason to think the earth is warming

 

• A couple of warm years is not a trend

 

• There are problems with the temperature records

 

• One Hundred Years is not Enough

 

• Glaciers have always grown and receded

 

• The warming is just Urban Heat Island effect

 

• The CO2 rise is measured on top of a Volcano!

 

• Likely, mostly, probably...even scientists aren't sure!

1. Contradictory Evidence

• It's cold today in Wagga Wagga

 

• Antarctic Ice is Growing

 

• Satellites Show Cooling

 

• It cooled mid-century, despite CO2 rising

 

• Warming Stopped in 1998

 

• But The Glaciers Are Not Melting

 

• Antarctic Sea Ice Is Increasing

 

• Observations Show Climate Sensitivity Is Not Very High

 

• Sea Level in the Arctic is Falling

 

• In 2007 to 2008, temperatures dropped as much as they rose the whole 20th century

 

• The concept of the Greenhouse effect is a violation of the second law of thermodynamics

 

• Global warming comes from all that heat at the Earth's core

 

• October 2008 saw yet another false "record breaking warming" announcement

 

• Some Sites Show Cooling

1. No Consensus

• Global Warming is Just a Hoax

 

• There is no Consensus

 

• Institutional pronouncements hide the real debate

 

• So much consensus in a science is sure sign of pressure

 

• Benny Peiser did a survey of the science and there is plenty of dissent

 

• The American Physical Society does not endorse the so-called consensus

 

• The summer arctic ice extent in 2008 was 9.4% higher than 2007

 

• Before the US Congress, Hansen called for the jailing of climate sceptics

1. We Don't Know Why It's Happening

1. Models Don't Work

• We can not trust unproven computer models

 

• The Models Don't Have Clouds

 

• If aerosols are blocking the sun, the south should warm faster

 

• Observations Show Climate Sensitivity Is Not Very High

1. Prediction is Impossible

• We Can't Even Predict the Weather Next Week

 

• Chaotic Systems are not Predictable

1. We Can't Be Sure

• Hansen Has Been Wrong Before

 

• We can't explain past climates, so who knows

 

• Likely, mostly, probably...even scientists aren't sure!

 

• They Predicted Cooling in the 1970's

1. Prediction is Impossible

1. Climate Change is Natural

1. It Happened Before

• It was Warmer During the Holocene Climatic Optimum

 

• The Medieval Warm Period was just as warm as today

 

• It was so warm 1000 years ago, Greenland was actually green

 

• Global Warming started 20,000 years ago!

 

• The Hockey Stick is Broken

 

• Grapes used to grow in Vineland

1. It's Part of a Natural Change

• This is Just a Natural Cycle

 

• There's Global Warming on Mars Too

 

• CO2 in the air comes mostly from volcanos

 

• The Null Hypothesis Says it's Natural

 

• Climate is Always Changing

 

• Natural Emissions Dwarf Humans'

 

• The CO2 Rise Is Natural

 

• Today's warming is just a recovery from the Little Ice Age

1. It's Not Caused By CO2

• Why don't they ever mention water vapour?

 

• Water vapour's Greenhouse effect overwhelms CO2

 

• There is no Proof that CO2 is Causing Global Warming

 

• There's Global Warming on Mars Too

 

• CO2 Lags Not Leads

 

• It cooled mid-century, despite CO2 rising

 

• Geological History Does not Support CO2's Importance

 

• Historically CO2 Never Causes Temperature Change

 

• It's the Sun, Stupid

 

• Global warming comes from all that heat at the Earth's core

1. Climate Change is Not Bad

1. The Effects are Good

• A warmer world will be better

1. The Effects are Minor

 

1. Change is Normal

1. Climate Change Can't be Stopped

• Global warming comes from all that heat at the Earth's core

1. Too Late

• Kyoto is Ineffective

1. It's Someone Else's Problem

• Why Should the US Join Kyoto?

 

• The US Is a Net CO2 Sink

1. Economically Infeasible

• Action on Global Warming is Suicide

 

Scientific Topics

 

1. Temperature

• There's no reason to think the earth is warming

 

• There are problems with the temperature records

 

• One Hundred Years is not Enough

 

• This is Just a Natural Cycle

 

• A warmer world will be better

 

• It's cold today in Wagga Wagga

 

• The warming is just Urban Heat Island effect

 

• Satellites Show Cooling

 

• Warming Stopped in 1998

 

• They Predicted Cooling in the 1970's

 

• In 2007 to 2008, temperatures dropped as much as they rose the whole 20th century

 

• October 2008 saw yet another false "record breaking warming" announcement

 

• Some Sites Show Cooling

1. Atmosphere

• The concept of the Greenhouse effect is a violation of the second law of thermodynamics

1. Extreme Events

1. Temperature Records

• A couple of warm years is not a trend

 

• It's cold today in Wagga Wagga

 

• In 2007 to 2008, temperatures dropped as much as they rose the whole 20th century

 

• October 2008 saw yet another false "record breaking warming" announcement

1. Storms

 

1. Droughts

1. Cryosphere

1. Glaciers

• Glaciers have always grown and receded

 

• But The Glaciers Are Not Melting

1. Sea Ice

• Antarctic Sea Ice Is Increasing

1. Ice Sheets

• Antarctic Ice is Growing

 

• It was so warm 1000 years ago, Greenland was actually green

1. Oceans

• Sea Level in the Arctic is Falling

1. Modeling

1. Scenarios

• Kyoto is Ineffective

 

• Hansen Has Been Wrong Before

1. Uncertainties

• We Can't Even Predict the Weather Next Week

 

• Chaotic Systems are not Predictable

 

• We can not trust unproven computer models

 

• The Models Don't Have Clouds

1. Climate Forcings

• Global warming comes from all that heat at the Earth's core

1. Solar Influences

• There's Global Warming on Mars Too

 

• It's the Sun, Stupid

1. Greenhouse Gases

• Why don't they ever mention water vapour?

 

• Water vapour's Greenhouse effect overwhelms CO2

 

• There is no Proof that CO2 is Causing Global Warming

 

• CO2 Lags Not Leads

 

• CO2 in the air comes mostly from volcanos

 

• It cooled mid-century, despite CO2 rising

 

• Geological History Does not Support CO2's Importance

 

• Natural Emissions Dwarf Humans'

 

• The CO2 rise is measured on top of a Volcano!

 

• The CO2 Rise Is Natural

 

• Historically CO2 Never Causes Temperature Change

 

• The US Is a Net CO2 Sink

 

• Observations Show Climate Sensitivity Is Not Very High

 

• The concept of the Greenhouse effect is a violation of the second law of thermodynamics

1. Aerosols

• It cooled mid-century, despite CO2 rising

 

• If aerosols are blocking the sun, the south should warm faster

1. Paleo Climate

1. Holocene

• It was Warmer During the Holocene Climatic Optimum

 

• The Medieval Warm Period was just as warm as today

 

• It was so warm 1000 years ago, Greenland was actually green

 

• The Hockey Stick is Broken

 

• Grapes used to grow in Vineland

 

• Today's warming is just a recovery from the Little Ice Age

1. Ice Ages

• CO2 Lags Not Leads

 

• Global Warming started 20,000 years ago!

1. Geologic History

• A warmer world will be better

 

• Geological History Does not Support CO2's Importance

 

• Climate is Always Changing

 

• Historically CO2 Never Causes Temperature Change

 

• We can't explain past climates, so who knows

1. Scientific Process

• Global Warming is Just a Hoax

 

• There is no Proof that CO2 is Causing Global Warming

 

• There is no Consensus

 

• The Null Hypothesis Says it's Natural

 

• Institutional pronouncements hide the real debate

 

• We can't explain past climates, so who knows

 

• Likely, mostly, probably...even scientists aren't sure!

 

• So much consensus in a science is sure sign of pressure

 

• Benny Peiser did a survey of the science and there is plenty of dissent

 

• The concept of the Greenhouse effect is a violation of the second law of thermodynamics

 

• The American Physical Society does not endorse the so-called consensus

 

• The summer arctic ice extent in 2008 was 9.4% higher than 2007

 

• Before the US Congress, Hansen called for the jailing of climate sceptics

 

 

Types of Argument

 

1. Uninformed

• There's no reason to think the earth is warming

 

• A couple of warm years is not a trend

 

• One Hundred Years is not Enough

 

• There is no Proof that CO2 is Causing Global Warming

 

• A warmer world will be better

 

• Action on Global Warming is Suicide

 

• There is no Consensus

 

• We can not trust unproven computer models

 

• Global warming comes from all that heat at the Earth's core

1. Misinformed

• It was Warmer During the Holocene Climatic Optimum

 

• The Medieval Warm Period was just as warm as today

 

• Antarctic Ice is Growing

 

• CO2 in the air comes mostly from volcanos

 

• It was so warm 1000 years ago, Greenland was actually green

 

• Satellites Show Cooling

 

• Natural Emissions Dwarf Humans'

 

• It's the Sun, Stupid

 

• The US Is a Net CO2 Sink

 

• But The Glaciers Are Not Melting

 

• Antarctic Sea Ice Is Increasing

 

• They Predicted Cooling in the 1970's

 

• Grapes used to grow in Vineland

 

• In 2007 to 2008, temperatures dropped as much as they rose the whole 20th century

 

• The concept of the Greenhouse effect is a violation of the second law of thermodynamics

 

• The American Physical Society does not endorse the so-called consensus

 

• The summer arctic ice extent in 2008 was 9.4% higher than 2007

 

• Before the US Congress, Hansen called for the jailing of climate sceptics

1. Cherry Picking

• It's cold today in Wagga Wagga

 

• Antarctic Ice is Growing

 

• Satellites Show Cooling

 

• Warming Stopped in 1998

 

• Antarctic Sea Ice Is Increasing

 

• Grapes used to grow in Vineland

 

• Observations Show Climate Sensitivity Is Not Very High

 

• Sea Level in the Arctic is Falling

 

• In 2007 to 2008, temperatures dropped as much as they rose the whole 20th century

 

• Some Sites Show Cooling

1. Urban Myths

• The Medieval Warm Period was just as warm as today

 

• CO2 in the air comes mostly from volcanos

 

• It was so warm 1000 years ago, Greenland was actually green

 

• Hansen Has Been Wrong Before

 

• They Predicted Cooling in the 1970's

 

• Grapes used to grow in Vineland

 

• October 2008 saw yet another false "record breaking warming" announcement

 

• Before the US Congress, Hansen called for the jailing of climate sceptics

1. FUD

• There are problems with the temperature records

 

• Glaciers have always grown and receded

 

• Why don't they ever mention water vapour?

 

• Water vapour's Greenhouse effect overwhelms CO2

 

• This is Just a Natural Cycle

 

• Kyoto is Ineffective

 

• There's Global Warming on Mars Too

 

• It's cold today in Wagga Wagga

 

• CO2 Lags Not Leads

 

• There is no Consensus

 

• Antarctic Ice is Growing

 

• The warming is just Urban Heat Island effect

 

• We Can't Even Predict the Weather Next Week

 

• Chaotic Systems are not Predictable

 

• It cooled mid-century, despite CO2 rising

 

• The Null Hypothesis Says it's Natural

 

• Geological History Does not Support CO2's Importance

 

• Climate is Always Changing

 

• Natural Emissions Dwarf Humans'

 

• The CO2 rise is measured on top of a Volcano!

 

• Global Warming started 20,000 years ago!

 

• The CO2 Rise Is Natural

 

• The Hockey Stick is Broken

 

• Historically CO2 Never Causes Temperature Change

 

• The Models Don't Have Clouds

 

• Warming Stopped in 1998

 

• We can't explain past climates, so who knows

 

• If aerosols are blocking the sun, the south should warm faster

 

• Likely, mostly, probably...even scientists aren't sure!

 

• Antarctic Sea Ice Is Increasing

 

• Benny Peiser did a survey of the science and there is plenty of dissent

 

• Grapes used to grow in Vineland

 

• Observations Show Climate Sensitivity Is Not Very High

 

• Sea Level in the Arctic is Falling

 

• Today's warming is just a recovery from the Little Ice Age

 

• The American Physical Society does not endorse the so-called consensus

 

• The summer arctic ice extent in 2008 was 9.4% higher than 2007

 

• October 2008 saw yet another false "record breaking warming" announcement

1. Non Scientific

• Global Warming is Just a Hoax

 

• Kyoto is Ineffective

 

• Why Should the US Join Kyoto?

 

• Hansen Has Been Wrong Before

 

• Institutional pronouncements hide the real debate

 

• Likely, mostly, probably...even scientists aren't sure!

 

• So much consensus in a science is sure sign of pressure

 

• They Predicted Cooling in the 1970's

 

• October 2008 saw yet another false "record breaking warming" announcement

 

• Before the US Congress, Hansen called for the jailing of climate sceptics

1. Underdog Theories

 

1. Crackpottery

• The concept of the Greenhouse effect is a violation of the second law of thermodynamics

 

• Global warming comes from all that heat at the Earth's core

 

 

Levels of Sophistication

 

1. Silly

• There's no reason to think the earth is warming

 

• Global Warming is Just a Hoax

 

• A couple of warm years is not a trend

 

• Action on Global Warming is Suicide

 

• There's Global Warming on Mars Too

 

• The CO2 rise is measured on top of a Volcano!

 

• Global warming comes from all that heat at the Earth's core

1. Naive

• One Hundred Years is not Enough

 

• Glaciers have always grown and receded

 

• Why Should the US Join Kyoto?

 

• It's cold today in Wagga Wagga

 

• CO2 in the air comes mostly from volcanos

 

• We Can't Even Predict the Weather Next Week

 

• We can not trust unproven computer models

 

• Satellites Show Cooling

 

• Natural Emissions Dwarf Humans'

 

• The Models Don't Have Clouds

 

• Warming Stopped in 1998

 

• It's the Sun, Stupid

 

• We can't explain past climates, so who knows

 

• Likely, mostly, probably...even scientists aren't sure!

 

• Grapes used to grow in Vineland

 

• In 2007 to 2008, temperatures dropped as much as they rose the whole 20th century

 

• Some Sites Show Cooling

1. Specious

• There are problems with the temperature records

 

• Why don't they ever mention water vapour?

 

• There is no Proof that CO2 is Causing Global Warming

 

• This is Just a Natural Cycle

 

• It was Warmer During the Holocene Climatic Optimum

 

• The Medieval Warm Period was just as warm as today

 

• A warmer world will be better

 

• Kyoto is Ineffective

 

• CO2 Lags Not Leads

 

• There is no Consensus

 

• Antarctic Ice is Growing

 

• The warming is just Urban Heat Island effect

 

• It was so warm 1000 years ago, Greenland was actually green

 

• It cooled mid-century, despite CO2 rising

 

• The Null Hypothesis Says it's Natural

 

• Geological History Does not Support CO2's Importance

 

• Climate is Always Changing

 

• Global Warming started 20,000 years ago!

 

• The CO2 Rise Is Natural

 

• Historically CO2 Never Causes Temperature Change

 

• Hansen Has Been Wrong Before

 

• Institutional pronouncements hide the real debate

 

• The US Is a Net CO2 Sink

 

• But The Glaciers Are Not Melting

 

• If aerosols are blocking the sun, the south should warm faster

 

• Antarctic Sea Ice Is Increasing

 

• So much consensus in a science is sure sign of pressure

 

• They Predicted Cooling in the 1970's

 

• Benny Peiser did a survey of the science and there is plenty of dissent

 

• Grapes used to grow in Vineland

 

• In 2007 to 2008, temperatures dropped as much as they rose the whole 20th century

 

• The concept of the Greenhouse effect is a violation of the second law of thermodynamics

 

• The American Physical Society does not endorse the so-called consensus

 

• The summer arctic ice extent in 2008 was 9.4% higher than 2007

 

• October 2008 saw yet another false "record breaking warming" announcement

 

• Before the US Congress, Hansen called for the jailing of climate sceptics

1. Scientific

• Water vapour's Greenhouse effect overwhelms CO2

 

• Chaotic Systems are not Predictable

 

• The Hockey Stick is Broken

 

• Observations Show Climate Sensitivity Is Not Very High

 

• Sea Level in the Arctic is Falling

 

• Today's warming is just a recovery from the Little Ice Age

 

(this index can also be found at Gristmill

How to Talk to a Climate Sceptic by Coby Beck is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Canada License.
If you use this material you must notify the author via email to cobybeck@gmail.com. If said usage is in any form on the internet, include a link if at all possible to the original work.