• Login
  • Register
The Daily Sceptic
No Result
View All Result
  • Articles
  • About
  • Archive
    • ARCHIVE
    • NEWS ROUND-UPS
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Premium
  • Donate
  • Log In
The Daily Sceptic
No Result
View All Result

Many of the ‘Climate Experts’ Surveyed by the Guardian in Recent Propaganda Blitz Turn Out to be Emotionally-Unstable Hysterics

by Ben Pile
13 May 2024 7:00 AM

The Guardian last week published its survey of ‘climate experts’. The results are a predictable mush of fire-and-brimstone predictions and emotional incontinence. This stunt may have convinced those already aligned to the newspaper’s ideological agenda to redouble their characteristically shrill rhetoric, but encouraging scientists to speculate and emote about the future of the planet looks like an act of political desperation, not scientific communication.

For the purposes of creating this story, the Guardian’s Environment Editor Damian Carrington contacted 843 ‘lead authors’ of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s reports (IPCC) and 383 responded to his questions. The actual substance of the survey does not seem to have been published by the paper, but the main response Carrington wanted to get from his respondents was an estimate of how much global warming there will be by the end of the century. “World’s top climate scientists expect global heating to blast past 1.5ºC target,” claims one headline. A graphic in the article shows the responses:

The obvious problem this raises is that such a wide range of views on the next three quarters of a century discredits the notion that the IPCC represents a ‘scientific consensus’ on climate change. The ‘consensus’ – the putative expression of agreement by the worlds ‘top climate scientists’ – is the lynchpin of the narrative, epitomised by the Guardian, that the climate debate is between scientists and denialists. “Seventy seven per cent of climate scientists expect a rise of at least 2.5ºC,” explains the chart. Well, yeah, but 23% of climate scientists do not. And a good number of those connected to the IPCC believe that there will be just 1.5 degrees of warming – a third less warming than is anticipated by their colleagues at the other end of the spectrum. Clearly, there is, or needs to be, a debate.

This in turn raises the question of why this survey was necessary at all. The IPCC’s main output is an Assessment Report (AR), of which six have so far been produced since 1990. Each AR consists of three main volumes, each produced by a Working Group (WG), whose focus is on assessing the available research on “the physical science” (WG1), impacts and vulnerabilities (WG2), and mitigation options (WG3). A Guardian opinion survey is hardly going to shed any light on science that these scientists, who authored the reports, have not already published. It would seem rather silly to ignore the thousands of pages of summaries of the state of scientific understanding that hundreds of scientists and other experts have compiled and substitute it with a DIY opinion poll.

Opinion isn’t science. Even scientific opinion is not science. Yet Carrington seems to believe that tapping into the emotions of scientists is of greater value than reading their work. And all sorts of mush seems to have been unleashed by his project. “‘I am starting to panic about my child’s future’: climate scientists wary of starting families,” claims one headline based on the survey. According to the article, the victim of the panic is a Professor Lisa Schipper, whom Carrington describes as “an expert on climate vulnerability”. Schipper’s profile, however, reveals her actual occupation: “I am particularly interested in socio-cultural dimensions of vulnerability, including gender, culture and religion, as well as structural issues related to power, justice and equity.” I’m smelling a rat here, and more than a whiff of humbug. Schipper is not a climate scientist at all, as Carrington seems to imply in both his headline and his article.

Another article – an interactive page on the Guardian website – claims: “We asked 380 top climate scientists what they felt about the future.” The article quotes, among others, Lorraine Whitmarsh from the University of Bath, who tells Carrington:

[Climate change] is an existential threat to humanity and [lack of] political will and vested corporate interests are preventing us addressing it. I do worry about the future my children are inheriting.

But Whitmarsh is not a climate scientist either. According to her academic profile at Bath, She did a BA in Theology and Religious Studies with French at the University of Kent, graduating in 1997. She followed this with a Masters in ‘Science, Culture and Communication’, before completing a PhD in Psychology in 2005. Now Director of the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST), Whitmarsh researches “perceptions and behaviour in relation to climate change, energy and transport” and “regularly advises governmental and other organisations on low-carbon behaviour change and climate change communication”.

I have discussed the nature of climate psychologists’ work before in the Daily Sceptic. And of course, CAST is of that lofty academic milieu which wraps naked Stalinism in motherhood-and-apple-pie. “We want to work closely with people and organisations to achieve positive low-carbon futures — transforming the way we live our lives, and reconfiguring organisations and cities,” says the group’s website. What it doesn’t have an answer to, however, is people who do not share CAST’s radical ideology and do not want their lives, cities or organisations transformed or reconfigured by self-regarding shrinks – who are manifestly the ones in need of help.

There are of course a number of respondents with scientific backgrounds who have replied to Carrington. But these scientific credentials do not seem to have made those who own them any more rational. “Sometimes it is almost impossible not to feel hopeless and broken,” says climate scientist Ruth Cerezo-Mota, who at least appears to have a PhD in Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics, “after all the flooding, fires, and droughts of the last three years worldwide, all related to climate change…”

But perhaps Cerezo-Mota forgot to read IPCC AR 6 in which her colleagues conclude that any detectable increase in floods and meteorological and hydrological droughts cannot be attributed with confidence to anthropogenic climate change. And perhaps she forgot that two decades of wildfire data in all regions of the world show significant declines.

I think it is probably for the best that such nervous wrecks do not reproduce. Their grasp on the data is particularly myopic. Despite their apparent belief that the climate crisis is upon us, life for children born in recent years is immeasurably better that of earlier generations. Rather than being dominated by the weather, today’s children are not only far more likely to survive their fifth birthday, they are going to live longer, healthier, wealthier and safer lives than any generation before them.

That is, unless these crazy climate scientists get their way. Because they would strip away every last benefit of industry, capitalism,and freedom to ‘save the planet’, and deny those children the abundant and affordable resources that has created their historically unprecedented position.

It goes further than humbug. I sense very little data and science underpins their anti-natalism, but a great deal of ideology and manipulation. So how can we explain these scientists’ views, if we don’t believe that they emerge from science?

One answer might be that, for nearly 40 years now, green ideology has been poured into classrooms throughout the world, without any care for the consequences. It has largely bounced off most people. But several generations of children have now come up through this system into the adult world, through higher education. The institutions of climate and environmental science have increasingly become the centres to which unhinged individuals are drawn. Emotionally unstable people naturally seek reasons to explain their dysphoria and believing there is a crisis unfolding in the skies above their heads (rather than in them) is a way to explain their anxieties. After all, if you were not a climate loon, why would you volunteer your time to the IPCC? Gradually, rational views have been weeded out of these institutions.

I believe that is the implication of Carrington’s series of Guardian articles and his survey. It shows that people with no scientific expertise to speak of are nonetheless routinely presented as ‘scientists’ and experts. It shows that even those with scientific expertise will happily and radically depart from both the consensus position and the objective data on both meteorological events and their societal impacts. And it shows they have no reluctance to use their own emotional distress as leverage to coerce others. Carrington thinks that showing us scientists’ emotional troubles will convince us to share their anxiety. But all it shows is that it would be deeply foolish to defer to the authority of climate science. It’s an unstable mess. Science must be cool, calm, rational, detached and disinterested, or it is just a silly soap opera.

Tags: Anti-NatalismClimate ScienceDamian CarringtonIPCCThe Guardian

Donate

We depend on your donations to keep this site going. Please give what you can.

Donate Today

Comment on this Article

You’ll need to set up an account to comment if you don’t already have one. We ask for a minimum donation of £5 if you'd like to make a comment or post in our Forums.

Sign Up
Previous Post

News Round-Up

Next Post

‘Common Sense’ Minister to Scrap Civil Service Equality Jobs

Subscribe
Login
Notify of
Please log in to comment

To join in with the discussion please make a donation to The Daily Sceptic.

Profanity and abuse will be removed and may lead to a permanent ban.

46 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
huxleypiggles
huxleypiggles
2 years ago

Absolute Clown World bleeding madness.

Vacuous, blatant nonsense. If anybody talks to me about this shyte with a supposedly serious head on they are having both barrels.

UNBELIEVABLE!

72
0
thefoostybadger
thefoostybadger
2 years ago
Reply to  huxleypiggles

My mate’s a trisexual…..he’ll try anything once!!

13
-1
huxleypiggles
huxleypiggles
2 years ago

“The first case of the viral disease in the U.S. was diagnosed in a traveler who returned to Massachusetts from Canada last month.”

This is the final statement in the Breitbart article.

“The first case…”

One bloody case. ONE!

For crying out loud!

31
0
NeilParkin
NeilParkin
2 years ago

My GP has confirmed that I have a case of Monkey Pox. Asked me if I can swing by on Monday to collect a prescription.

(this is a joke, btw. I haven’t seen a GP at my GP’s surgery since 2017)

58
0
JohnK
JohnK
2 years ago

Do they have the equivalent of April Fool’s Day there?

13
0
Dame Lynet
Dame Lynet
2 years ago

It’s ‘funny’ that illustrations for negative issues are allowed to feature white heterosexuals (ok, one female looks brownish), despite this particular one reported as being connected to alphabet people activity.

47
0
huxleypiggles
huxleypiggles
2 years ago
Reply to  Dame Lynet

“alphabet people activity.”

That had me stumped for a minute. What a cracker!
😀 😀 😀

25
0
Hugh
Hugh
2 years ago
Reply to  huxleypiggles

lgbtqwerty?

11
0
Epi
Epi
2 years ago
Reply to  Hugh

I’ve got the roadster version with wire wheels.

5
0
NeilParkin
NeilParkin
2 years ago
Reply to  Dame Lynet

It is all part of the depopulation narrative. No to families, yes to full term abortions, and plenty of encouragement for ‘Up the bum, no babies’. Our young are being indoctrinated to think having children is a selfish act that will kill us all. Its evil propaganda.

Last edited 2 years ago by NeilParkin
39
-2
beornwulf
beornwulf
2 years ago
Reply to  NeilParkin

But then how do we get reincarnated? Must we return as pigeons?

5
0
huxleypiggles
huxleypiggles
2 years ago
Reply to  NeilParkin

Bang on the money Neil.

I mean why inject infants and toddlers if not to maim, sterilise or kill?

13
0
NeilParkin
NeilParkin
2 years ago
Reply to  huxleypiggles

I’m not just a pretty face…

6
0
Free Lemming
Free Lemming
2 years ago

Just get married. You then won’t have sex at all and, hey presto, problem solved.

35
0
David101
David101
2 years ago

If this appeared in a satirical comic strip it would be absolutely hilarious. Equally amusing would be the emergence of this on April 1st. Unfortunately neither are true.
I do hope there is a toilet roll made with this graphic printed on it.

13
0
Glynthepin
Glynthepin
2 years ago
Reply to  David101

I thought it was a spoof until I read the article. As someone said this is the Age of Stupid and the clowns are in control.

6
0
David101
David101
2 years ago

Don’t fret… Do you want to have safe sex? Are you tired of masturbating on either end of a bed to avoid the dreaded monkeypox? Look no further than our wonderful new drug, Phenoxybloxymonkeypoxypenecillin, brought to you by (drum roll) Pfizer! Work’s every time. Don’t let monkey-business spoil the passion. Order yours today!

23
0
huxleypiggles
huxleypiggles
2 years ago
Reply to  David101

Brilliant 👏

4
0
Epi
Epi
2 years ago

Absolute bollocks, if you pardon the pun.

5
0
Gefion
Gefion
2 years ago

Why is the couple in the ‘cartoon’ white and heterosexual when the disease seems to be found in a very different population? Is the blame for the spread of monkey pox being shifted onto white heterosexuals?

9
0
RTSC
RTSC
2 years ago

They’re trolling us.

5
0

NEWSLETTER

View today’s newsletter

To receive our latest news in the form of a daily email, enter your details here:

DONATE

PODCAST

The Sceptic EP.37: David Frost on Starmer’s EU Surrender, James Price on Broken Britain and David Shipley on Lucy Connolly’s Failed Appeal

by Richard Eldred
23 May 2025
5

LISTED ARTICLES

  • Most Read
  • Most Commented
  • Editor’s Picks

Doctor Who Star Ncuti Gatwa “Axed” and BBC Show to be “Put on Pause” Amid Falling Ratings and Woke Storylines

23 May 2025
by Will Jones

Spanish Scientists “Were Experimenting with How Far They Could Push Renewable Energy” Before Countrywide Blackout

23 May 2025
by Will Jones

We Were Too Polite to Stop the Woke Takeover

23 May 2025
by Mary Gilleece

News Round-Up

24 May 2025
by Toby Young

Trump Slaps 50% Tariffs on EU – as He Tells Starmer to Get Drilling for Oil

23 May 2025
by Will Jones

Trump Slaps 50% Tariffs on EU – as He Tells Starmer to Get Drilling for Oil

31

Doctor Who Star Ncuti Gatwa “Axed” and BBC Show to be “Put on Pause” Amid Falling Ratings and Woke Storylines

30

We Were Too Polite to Stop the Woke Takeover

23

News Round-Up

20

Spanish Scientists “Were Experimenting with How Far They Could Push Renewable Energy” Before Countrywide Blackout

20

Do Researchers’ Views on Immigration Affect the Results of Their Studies?

24 May 2025
by Noah Carl

Starmer’s EU Reset Tethers the UK to the EU’s Green Dystopia

24 May 2025
by Tilak Doshi

We Were Too Polite to Stop the Woke Takeover

23 May 2025
by Mary Gilleece

The Tweets Cited by the Judge to ‘Prove’ Lucy Connolly is “Racist” Do Nothing of the Sort

23 May 2025
by Laurie Wastell

Starmer Has No Intention of Cutting Immigration

22 May 2025
by Joe Baron

POSTS BY DATE

May 2024
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
« Apr   Jun »

SOCIAL LINKS

Free Speech Union

NEWSLETTER

View today’s newsletter

To receive our latest news in the form of a daily email, enter your details here:

POSTS BY DATE

May 2024
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
« Apr   Jun »

DONATE

LISTED ARTICLES

  • Most Read
  • Most Commented
  • Editor’s Picks

Doctor Who Star Ncuti Gatwa “Axed” and BBC Show to be “Put on Pause” Amid Falling Ratings and Woke Storylines

23 May 2025
by Will Jones

Spanish Scientists “Were Experimenting with How Far They Could Push Renewable Energy” Before Countrywide Blackout

23 May 2025
by Will Jones

We Were Too Polite to Stop the Woke Takeover

23 May 2025
by Mary Gilleece

News Round-Up

24 May 2025
by Toby Young

Trump Slaps 50% Tariffs on EU – as He Tells Starmer to Get Drilling for Oil

23 May 2025
by Will Jones

Trump Slaps 50% Tariffs on EU – as He Tells Starmer to Get Drilling for Oil

31

Doctor Who Star Ncuti Gatwa “Axed” and BBC Show to be “Put on Pause” Amid Falling Ratings and Woke Storylines

30

We Were Too Polite to Stop the Woke Takeover

23

News Round-Up

20

Spanish Scientists “Were Experimenting with How Far They Could Push Renewable Energy” Before Countrywide Blackout

20

Do Researchers’ Views on Immigration Affect the Results of Their Studies?

24 May 2025
by Noah Carl

Starmer’s EU Reset Tethers the UK to the EU’s Green Dystopia

24 May 2025
by Tilak Doshi

We Were Too Polite to Stop the Woke Takeover

23 May 2025
by Mary Gilleece

The Tweets Cited by the Judge to ‘Prove’ Lucy Connolly is “Racist” Do Nothing of the Sort

23 May 2025
by Laurie Wastell

Starmer Has No Intention of Cutting Immigration

22 May 2025
by Joe Baron

SOCIAL LINKS

Free Speech Union
  • Home
  • About us
  • Donate
  • Privacy Policy

Facebook

  • X

Instagram

RSS

Subscribe to our newsletter

© Skeptics Ltd.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Articles
  • About
  • Archive
    • ARCHIVE
    • NEWS ROUND-UPS
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Premium
  • Donate
  • Log In

© Skeptics Ltd.

wpDiscuz
You are going to send email to

Move Comment
Perfecty
Do you wish to receive notifications of new articles?
Notifications preferences