Royal
Society to publish guide on climate change to counter claims of
'exaggeration'
By
Louise
Gray, Environment Correspondent
Published: 8:00AM BST 29 May 2010
The most prestigious group of scientists in the
country was forced to act after fellows complained that doubts over man
made global warming were not being communicated to the public.
In particular they were unhappy that the long term effects of
greenhouse gases were being oversimplified.
Lord Martin Rees, President of the Royal Society, admitted that the
case for man-made global warming has been exaggerated in the past.
He emphasised that the basic science remains
sound but agreed to issue guidance so that it better reflects the
uncertainties. ”Climate
change is a hugely important issue but the public debate has all too often
been clouded by exaggeration and misleading information," he said.
"We aim to provide the public with a clear indication of what is
known about the climate system, what we think we know about it and, just
as importantly, the aspects we still do not understand very well."
In recent months the debate about global warming
has been marred by a series of scandals. Emails stolen from the
University
of
East Anglia
appeared to show scientists were willing to manipulate the data to
exaggerate warming. The individuals involved were cleared from any
wrongdoing but the scandal known as 'climategate' knocked public
confidence. At the same time
the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), that advises the
United Nations on global warming, came under doubt after wrongly claiming
the Himalayan glaciers could melt by 2035.
The Royal Society will look again at the public communications on
climate change after 43 fellows complained that so far the message has not
reflected the uncertainty in the debate.
Lord Rees said the new guide has been planned for some time but was
given "added impetus by concerns raised by a small group of
fellows".
"Nothing in recent developments has changed
or weakened the underpinning science of climate change. In the current
environment we believe this new guide will be very timely. Lots of people
are asking questions, indeed even within the Fellowship of the Society
there are differing views. Our guide will be based on expert views backed
up by sound scientific evidence," he said.
However he denied accusations that the national academy of sciences
has ever stifled debate or that the case for man made global warming is in
doubt. ”It has been
suggested that the Society holds the view that anyone challenging the
consensus on climate change is malicious – this is ridiculous. Science
is organised scepticism and the consensus must shift in light of the
evidence. The Society has always encouraged debate particularly through
our discussion meetings and our journals."
Benny Peiser of the Global Warming Policy Foundation said it was
about time the sceptics were taken more seriously.
"I think it is a very significant
development in that it is no longer one or two eccentrics but a wide group
of fellows so it is taken more seriously – as it should be," he
said. "I think it is very wise to accept that
while the basic science is solid, we have no idea what is going to happen
in the future." But Bob Ward, policy and communications
director at the Grantham Institute of Climate Change, feared the public
could misinterpret the new guide as reflecting doubt about man made global
warming. He called on the Royal Society fellows who question the
science to come forward with their doubts publicly. "This could
end in public confusion if people think as a result of this the Royal
Society is somehow wrong or reassessing the evidence because there is no
justification for that," he said.
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