Chief NASA Climate Scientist Now a Man-Made Global Warming Skeptic
By Daniel Miessler on February 4th, 2009: Tagged as Science
There are a number of topics that I tread lightly around because having an intelligent viewpoint requires far more background and time than I have to throw at it. Global Warming is one such issue.
My stance for the last several years has been that I think it’s “most likely” true (60-90%) that humans have contributed to global warming. I maintained this opinion simply based on the number of smart people who have studied the issue extensively who believed this.
But in the last few months I’ve been noticing a new trend: many respectable scientists seem to be reversing their opinion on the topic. Or, it could be that those who believed this all along are just now being heard. Either way, there’s been a shift.
This latest scientist to change his mind is worthy of extreme consideration, and I eagerly seek any logical explanation for why he would do so if the evidence for man-made global warming were as clear as it’s claimed to be.
From this Register article:
The retired scientist formerly in charge of key NASA climate programs has come out as a sceptic.
Dr John Theon, who supervised James Hansen – the activist-scientist who helped give the manmade global warming hypothesis centre prominent media attention – repents at length in a published letter. Theon wrote to the Minority Office at the Environment and Public Works Committee on January 15, 2009, and excerpts were published by skeptic Senator Inhofe’s office here last night.
Theon writes:
As Chief of several of NASA Headquarters’ programs (1982-94), an SES position, I was responsible for all weather and climate research in the entire agency, including the research work by James Hansen, Roy Spencer, Joanne Simpson, and several hundred other scientists at NASA field centers, in academia, and in the private sector who worked on climate research. [snip] … I appreciate the opportunity to add my name to those who disagree that global warming is man made.
Very interesting indeed. I wish I had more time to study this issue myself. I hate relying on external experts for my opinion. ::
(thanks to Simon for the link)