This series consists of links and excerpts from my last 12 months of posts touching on the science and politics of climate change.
Concerned Scientists, Climate Change and History as the Context of Trust December 20, 2017
Ask a climate change skeptic why they don't trust climate change claims and you may get a history of false alarms in the environmental movement - false alarms endorsed by prominent scientists. Remember the population explosion, peak oil? So when scientists confidently predict global disaster in the very near future, a skeptic would likely file that one away as another case of alarmist rhetoric coming from the usual suspects.
Concerned Scientists, Building Trust, and Climate Change December 18, 2017
These "Concerned Scientists" posts address a recent viewpoint article in the journal BioScience, World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity: A Second Notice (2017), in terms of how effectively it conveys its message to climate change skeptics. No, that’s not me. It’s those members of the public the authors are trying to reach. They’re trying to change minds, convince people that climate change is not only real but that it's potentially catastrophic and serious action is urgent.
Explicit Persuasive Intent and Concerned Scientists November 15, 2017
Want to convince someone the situation is urgent and immediate action is imperative? Well, you're not going to get very far by laying it on with a sledgehammer. This approach usually backfires by triggering resistance and motivating counterarguments.
Mitigation Measures for a Less Warm Planet, Part IIId: Reduce Methane Emissions from Anthropogenic Sources November 13, 2017
First, the energy sector. We're mostly talking methane leaks during the production, storage and transport of coal, oil, and (especially) natural gas. Fixing the leakage problem is more than affordable - it's actually profitable, because leaks cost Big Energy potential revenue to be gained from converting methane to more benign products. The reason why companies haven't moved more quickly to take advantage of this business opportunity is the upfront expense of equipment upgrades that would shut down the leaks. Making money costs money.
Mitigation Measures for a Less Warm Planet, Part IIIc: Reduce Wetland Methane Emissions November 12, 2017
Home to methane-spewing microbes, wetlands are the largest source of methane emissions in the world.