IPCC downgrades climate change effect by 25%

While this blog isn't necessarily concerned with scrutinising the theory that humans are causing global warming, today's renewed hysteria can't go without comment.

The latest IPCC report that's causing it will undoubtedly be leapt upon by politicians wanting to push through stinging tax rises and thinking 'saving the planet' may present a plausible justification. And typically such action is directed disproportionately at car users.

But the politicians had better think again. Because however much rhetoric about it 'ending debate' they might like to spout self-servingly, this latest report is very far from 'conclusive' evidence that there's a serious climate situation developing.

While the mainstream media obediently recites the usual gloom-and-doom scenarios, almost revelling in the potential horror, the only point that seems to be of real relevance is that the temperature estimates in this latest report have actually been downgraded by 25% from those given in the IPCC's previous offering.

Back in 2001, the IPCC's predicted upper temperature rise this century was 5.8C. By today's report the upper estimate had dropped to 4C.

This downgrade is being explained by the IPCC as a 'refinement', due to better quality data having being obtained. This is understandable.

But the IPCC have effectively admitted that their previous estimate was inaccurate to an astonishing degree. So what of their current estimates? Exactly why should they be taken so seriously?

Is it not within the bounds of possibility that better quality data still may cause further downgrades and reveal that there isn't that serious a climate problem looming at all?

A variation of the order of 25% suggests that a reasonable level of doubt about what we're being told by the IPCC on climate change should quite naturally remain.