Climate & Climate Politics

  • Methane discovery stokes new global warming fears Shock as retreat of Arctic releases greenhouse gas – Science – News – The Independent.
  • Labels « ClimateSight

    For a long time I have struggled with what to call the people who insist that climate change is natural/nonexistent/a global conspiracy. “Skeptics” is their preferred term, but I refuse to give such a compliment to those who don’t deserve it. Skepticism is a good thing in science, and it’s not being applied by self-professed “climate skeptics”. This worthy label has been hijacked by those who seek to redefine it.

    “Deniers” is more accurate, in my opinion, but I feel uncomfortable using it. I don’t want to appear closed-minded and alienate those who are confused or undecided. Additionally, many people are in the audience of deniers, but aren’t in denial themselves. They repeat the myths they hear from other sources, but you can easily talk them out of their misconceptions using evidence.

    I posed this question to some people at AGU. Which word did they use? “Pseudoskeptics” and “misinformants” are both accurate terms, but too difficult for a new reader to understand. My favourite answer, which I think I will adopt, was “contrarians”. Simple, clear, and non-judgmental. It emphasizes what they think, not how they think. Also, it hints that they are going against the majority in the scientific community. Another good suggestion was to say someone is “in denial”, rather than “a denier” – it depersonalizes the accusation.

    […]

    I’ll confess that I have never really liked the term “denier” but have enjoyed using it at times because I can see how it get under the skins of some of the “deniers” I have debated climate with online.  I can’t stand how the “Pseudoskeptics” have co-opted the term skeptic and I think it’s insulting to real skeptics like myself. “Pseudoskeptics”… I like that one.

  • Romney slams Gingrich for global warming ad – Political Hotsheet – CBS News This is just great. I hate to be cliche but this is a pot calling the kettle black.
  • Cold-Hearted About Warming: Conservative Media Deride Adaptation Aid For World’s Poor as “Climate Gold” | ThinkProgress

Revisiting Solyndra to See Where This “Issue” Has Gone & What We Know Now

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Politics — Newt Gingrich

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