The IPCC 2007 Report vs Skeptics on Climate Change

The issues surrounding climate change has elicited a very fierce stage of arguments with some people believing in it concept and others disagreeing with it totally. A section of scientist has gone ahead to conduct research about climate change, giving a number of findings several times. However, these reports have encountered immense opposition from climate skeptics who argue differently as far as the scientific findings are concerned. This paper seeks to highlight a number of skeptic perspectives about climate change and evaluate their authenticity using the IPCC 2007 report on climate change.

IPCC and Global Warming

            The IPCC report on global warming reveals that human beings are responsible for emission of green house gases among them Carbon dioxide. These gases are believed to be the real causes of the changes in global temperatures leading to an increased sea level. Skeptics about this fact argue that carbon dioxide could not be among the gases allegedly causing the world to heat up. In fact, they go ahead to site the condition in Kyoto, in the mid-nineties. According to them, Kyoto would not be the same if what is said about carbon dioxide in the atmosphere were true. The argument has gone ahead to attract even some of the best brains with Professor Tim Patterson, (Ph.D.) of Carleton university in Canada supporting the view. According to this skeptic group, carbon dioxide constitutes only 0.035 percent of the atmosphere. Since it is an extremely weak green house gas, carbon dioxide is not capable of causing any changes in the atmospheric temperatures. Another shocking appendage on this school of thought is that water accounts for 97-98 percent of the green house effect. Skeptics blame proponent of this phenomena for using computer graphics to inflict fear in people since the images used seem more apparent than real.

            However, the IPCC reveals that the gas together with others likes methane and nitrous oxide play a highly significant role in increasing global temperatures. In fact, the recent increase in release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by industries has accelerated global warming. Motor vehicles are also identified as one of the leading emitters of carbon dioxide. An increase in global temperatures even by unusually small margins can cause massive changes in climatic conditions. Therefore, no matter how small carbon dioxide is in the atmosphere, it can cause a significant change in global temperatures. These effects include an increase in sea level, and change in rainfall patters. The latter can result into massive flooding or draught conditions in a certain place. Effects of global warming are evident in most parts of the world. Reduced glaciers show that there is an increase in temperatures, which cause the melting of the water.

Misrepresentation of Facts

            The findings of the IPCC have come under as sharp scrutiny by skeptic groups, which term the report as in accurate. This group of people tends to use other independent reporting on climate changes to dismiss what has been reported by the organization. They reveal that changes in climate have actually taken place faster that what in reported in the IPCC report. Although the reports point carbon dioxide gas as a major contributor to global warming, the rate at which the report put its emission is quite low. Skeptics argue that CO2 is increasing ten times faster in the modern world. Therefore, the rate at which the globe is warming is quite low if the increase of carbon dioxide is increased. The sea level is also said to rise much faster that the IPCC report indicates. Skeptics put the rate at 80 percent more than what IPCC reports meaning that there is gross misreporting by the group. The report predicts that the sea level rise will be about 18-59 centimeters by the year 2010. This figure could not be near the truth because vital data from Antarctic and Greenland ace-caps were omitted. This means not only the data on sea level rise is not reliable, but also other data collected, and filed by the organization.

            Despite the fact that IPCC was particularly cautious in collecting and analyzing the data, the information in the reports could be a tool to support the theory of anthropogenic global warming which does not rely of factual evidence. Critics go ahead to question the coordination, cooperation and support the within the team, which are seen as wanting thus giving room for errors. The error on the Himalayas glaciers is the most common evidence used to demean these findings.

            On the other hand, the IPCC report indicates that the figures collected were extraordinarily accurate and collected by people with significant expertise in the field. Therefore, it will be irrelevant to point an accusing figure to the body, yet the results are reliable. Furthermore, the reports used by the skeptics cannot be verified and could be particularly inaccurate in nature. Chances of asymmetry in scientific challenges are not admissible given the fact that the research process was wide and all-inclusive.

Role of the Sun in Heating up the Globe

            Despite the fact that the sun emits heat that is absorbed by the atmosphere, skeptics of the global warming phenomenon are concerned about the significance of the heat. Skeptics argue that the sun is the source of all the energy driving the entire universe. Cold periods are recorded when solar activity is reduced. In addition, the 20th century has recorded a significant period of strong solar cycles. According to Henrik Svensmark, a Danish scientist, a hotter sun pushes cosmic rays away from the earth thus reducing their incident angle. This reduces clod formation thus increasing the global temperatures. This argument can be contracted by the suggestions in the report, which account for the sun’s effects of the global temperature. The report indicates that the actual effect in irradiance in minimal and cannot be used to explain any changes in global temperatures.

Melting of the Glaziers

            Indications by the report that glaziers are melting could be nothing further from untrue. The reports assume that the glaziers have significantly reduced with an increase in temperatures. These reports fail to consider the situation in the areas formally occupied by glaziers. Reports from water explorers in the 20th century indicate that glaziers did not occupy the areas now under threat. How comes that the glaziers formed and are not being destroyed by the increase in global temperatures? However, the report acknowledges the past and asserts that there were no significant emissions of green house gases into the atmosphere. Natural cycles could be able to take place thus reforming the glaziers after they were destructed.

Conclusion

            Although the IPCC report is reputable document, it faces extremely powerful skeptical opinions about climate change. The contradicting information cannot be ignore since there can be errors. However, skeptics rely mostly on unofficial data whose authenticity is not verifiable. Similarly, skeptics use more diversionary tactics in making their points, including the use of a political rather that academic language. This means that there should be active consultation among various stakeholders in assessing climate change since some of the most renowned scholars oppose some aspects of the report. Although the debate on climate change may remain contestable for a long time, climatic changes are here with us, implying that something negative is happening with our planet irrespective of what is causing it.