For the global warming sceptics here. Do you honestly believe Al Gore is a climate scientist? I see here a lot of Al Gore said this and Al Gore said that, but come on we know he isn't a climate scientist, he's just the messenger. Why do you doubt the scientists behind Gore's message?
2007-11-20 16:56:57 · 9 answers · asked by Author Unknown 6 in Environment ➔ Global Warming
Global warming skeptics focus on Gore because they can't dispute the scientific evidence. They think that because Gore is a prominent public figure discussing anthropogenic global warming (AGW), taking digs at him is like taking digs at the
AGW theory.
It's just one sign among many that global warming skeptics can't form a valid argument to support their position.
Absolut Martini is a perfect example. He doesn't attack Gore, but he doesn't do much better, repeating the same old misinformation and citing JunkScience.com, a website which used to be funded by Phillip Morris Tobacco Co. to "prove" that there's no link between smoking and lung cancer. The website is now funded by ExxonMobile to do the same for global warming and human greenhouse gas emissions. As you can see from his 'evidence', it doesn't do a very good job of it.
It is pretty impressive how many myths he fit into that one paragraph though. Water vapor, volcanoes, solar activity increase, no consensus among scientists, and 70s cooling panic. He missed 'no SUVs on Mars' though.
2007-11-20 17:20:58 · answer #1 · answered by Dana1981 7 · 4⤊ 6⤋
The climate change debate going on right now (in the media and in the posted answers) is just as political as it is about science. The fact that Al Gore, a politician, is the poster child for global warming speaks to this fact. Both sides makes some pretty out-there claims to prove their point. Yes, everyone knows he isn't a scientist. But I've seen many many people saying, "if you don't believe in global warming just watch An Inconvenient Truth zomg and the polar bears and the sea levels and the polar bears." (ok, I'm paraphrasing)
It makes me angry that in this debate anyone who questions any portion of the "accepted" theory of global warming is immediately labelled in a certain way and all further points that person may make are nullified. Science is all about skepticism.
To be perfectly honest, even if I did believe the AGW theory in it's entirety, I would still be wary of Gore. I'm naturally wary of polititicans. You can practically see the agenda written on their face.
2007-11-21 01:19:19 · answer #2 · answered by Heather 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
We focus on Gore because he makes many false statements in his movie and book and other people repeat them, continuing the misinformation.
Gore's movie and book should never be quoted or cited by any student in a research paper or on a test. He is not reliable.
Gore did get his information from scientists but Gore made mistakes. Plus some of the science he cited has been retracted. Plus some of the climate scientists got caught fudging the data. Michael Mann for one.
The Dutch science magazine Natuurwetenschap & Techniek published a good article on Mann and how Stephen McIntyre caught him red-handed. Read closely the part about the CENSORED subdirectory. Here is the English translation.
http://www.uoguelph.ca/~rmckitri/research/Climate_L.pdf
By the way, Gore's movie tries to support Mann and he identifies a chart as being from Lonnie Thompson, but it is not Thompson's chart - it is Michael Mann's. Only thing is Gore (or someone on his team) spliced the temperature record on the end of it. It is quite amusing actually because the chart shows the temperature going up and down at the same time.
http://www.climateaudit.org/?p=2328
http://www.climateaudit.org/?p=2335
A real scientist named Dr. Craig Loehle just published a 2,000 year temperature reconstruction without any of the problematic tree ring data and determined the Medieval Warm Period was 0.3C warmer than the end of the 20th century. And 1998 is still the warmest year on record.
http://www.ncasi.org/publications/Detail.aspx?id=3025
2007-11-20 23:35:45 · answer #3 · answered by Ron C 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋
I'm quite sure Al Gore is not a climate scientist, but an ideas salesman. When a salesman sells one product, (like smart cars or prius) and uses another one like driving a cadilac or flying in lear jets - he doesn't seem to believe in the product he's selling.
Why doubt the scientists - because often the job of a scientist is to speculate.
2007-11-20 20:12:25 · answer #4 · answered by Ben O 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
because there is plenty of other scientists that do not agree with the 'accepted' dogma of the 'man-made global warming crisis'.
Some not-well-published facts: The main 'greenhouse gas' is water vapor...the main cause of 'global warming' is the sun...do some independent research for yourself and then see what the 'global warming' activists are really advocating...I won't give you the answer, but look in particular at the emissions of volcanoes. I'm not disputing that carbon dioxide level output from humans has gone up...I'm disputing that it is the cause of 'global warming' and also the conclusions that seem to vary widely...depending on which publication you're reading at the time. Some say a rise of the oceans in inches, some say ten feet, some say twenty or even more. Some say the effects and devastation will wreak havoc on the planet within 5years, some say 50, some 100 and some say 15,000. There isn't even agreement among scientists that say it's happening, to a specific cause and effect or timeline or anything. Do you want to know why? Because it's a theory...not a fact. Did you ever notice how the amount of Solar activity is related to the warming/cooling cycle? Do you know what happened to the Viking colony at Greenland? There are many other examples...but like I said, just look at the politics of the whole 'movement' and what they're advocating...a lot of it doesn't make too much sense unless you look at the political goals.
Did you know that in the 70's there was a huge cry and alarm raised over 'global cooling'? There was a lot of hand wringing, and calls for less aerosols and more carbon dioxide.
2007-11-20 17:21:54 · answer #5 · answered by VodkaTonic 5 · 3⤊ 5⤋
Gore, at his mansion, uses the same amount of electricity as 24 average sized houses, per year. Every time you see him speaking, he's being paid. This is a job for him, nothing else. If HE believed it's half as bad as he states, wouldn't he be practicing what he preaches? Why doesn't HE believe the Scientists is the proper question.
2007-11-21 01:01:57 · answer #6 · answered by David R 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The problem is is that although he is not a climate scientist, there are a lot of people who get information from him on this subject and consider it as fact. Read the criticism closely. They are not attacking what the climate scientists are saying, but his alarmism. (sea levels rising to cover Manhattan, polar bears dying). This alarmism is not based on scientific literature.
2007-11-20 19:27:51 · answer #7 · answered by eric c 5 · 3⤊ 2⤋
Because most of the Scientists doubt Mr. Gore's message!
Gore is first a liberal Politician, His dad was a liberal Politician. liberal Politicians want YOUR money, ANYTHING they can do to siphon your money out of your pocket for their cause, he will do it!
2007-11-21 05:32:28 · answer #8 · answered by jadamgrd 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
All you have to do is show us we are wrong.
Tell us if next month is going to be warmer or cooler than average, and show us how you came to that conclusion.
If co2 causes warming, and we're emitting more co2, then this should be easy for you. We are told that computer models are very accurate.
If you have to believe something is real, then this is the definition of a religion.
2007-11-21 00:42:01 · answer #9 · answered by Dr Jello 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋