Due Diligence - 298

There is a term called "due diligence." It means if a person signs a contract or makes a statement, they have done adequate research.  I did this ten years ago before getting involved in the climate fray. 

 

The first task for a science layman like me was to decide who the reputable sources of climate science information are. I did explore some international science organizations. Their positions on global warming/climate change were the same as their American counterparts. Of the many American organizations, here are what I consider the Big Three: The American Meteorological Society (AMS), the National Academies of Science (NAS), and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). 

 

There are, in this newspaper, contributors who feel they know better than the leading science organizations. Have these people done their "Due Diligence"? If not, their opinion is liable to be (dis) or misinformation colored by tribal leanings. 

 

How do you, as a reader, decide? You do not have to know a lot about science specifics, although learning science is fun, and I encourage it. There are organizations with a long history of good science.

 

This week, I will introduce you to American Meteorological Society, (AMS). This is a wise first place to start.

 

According to Wikipedia, this non-profit independent organization was "Founded on December 29, 1919, by Charles Franklin Brooks at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in St. Louis and incorporated on January 21, 1920.  The American Meteorological Society has a membership of more than 13,000 weather, water, and climate scientists, professionals, researchers, educators, students, and enthusiasts."

It is the largest and most respected Meteorological Organization in the United States.

 

Periodically, the AMS Board issues a statement on climate change. Here is the latest statement adopted by the AMS council in 2017:

 

"It is now well established that global average surface temperatures are increasing, and the associated changes in climate are causing ecological and societal disruptions. Further, there is overwhelming evidence that climate change in recent decades is caused by human activities. Greenhouse gas emissions, particularly of carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels, have already contributed and will continue to contribute to widespread climate changes, with major negative consequences for most humans and ecosystems.

 

This has motivated discussion of mechanisms to reduce warming of the Earth system through intentional interventions, with the goal of reducing the negative impacts of climate change.

Aggressive action must be taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the changes that are already occurring. At the same time, additional strategies should be investigated. This policy statement focuses on large-scale efforts to intentionally modify the climate system to counteract the consequences of increasing greenhouse gas concentrations. Such efforts are now commonly referred to as climate intervention (also called geoengineering): the deliberate manipulation of physical, chemical, or biological aspects of the Earth system with the intention of tempering the harmful effects of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions."

 

In 2013, when I first dug into the facts, this was the opening paragraph of the AMS position paper: "This statement provides a brief overview of how and why global climate has changed over the past century and will continue to change in the future. It is based on the peer-reviewed scientific literature and is consistent with the vast weight of current scientific understanding as expressed in assessments and reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and the U.S. Global Change Research Program. Although the statement has been drafted in the context of concerns in the United States, the underlying issues are inherently global in nature. Warming of the climate system now is unequivocal, according to many different kinds of evidence."

 

Creating an opinion is the easiest thing in the world. Developing an informed opinion involves work. We information receivers must build our own portfolio of researched facts. Too many people present themselves as experts when operating from expired information or tribal positions. When presented with something as fact, ask the person presenting the alleged facts what their sources of information are. When was the last time they did any research? When and where did they teach? What organizations are they a member of?

When I make comments at a presentation, I often start by saying "I am a helicopter pilot. I get my information from (And then list my applicable sources).

When I write a column, I usually reference sources. Are you checking up on me? If you are, you are meeting one of the tasks of being a Due Diligent Citizen.

To check up on me, search "American Meteorological Society". Start with the AMS "Home" page. Then click on "About AMS". Then click on "AMS statements." Then click on "Statements in Force." Scroll down to "Climate Intervention" and click on it to read the whole statement. Being informed with accurate information is a complex habit that takes perseverance.

I challenge any contributor to this paper to list one reputable science organization that does not believe climate change is an existential threat to our planet.