An independent study largely funded by organisations opposed to action against climate change, has reaffirmed findings that warming of the Earth is a real phenomenon.
The Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature (BEST) project was the study that climate change deniers had hoped would contest the IPCC’s (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) view that the Earth is warming.
The BEST project was designed to be an impartial and independent investigation, supported solely by donations, with no government sponsorship, to ensure no influence by political pressure.
The research was lead by Professor Richard Muller, a physicist at the University of California, whom before working on the BEST project, was a climate change critic. Muller claimed there were flaws in previous investigations supporting the theory that the Earth is warming. Subsequently this made him an ally for the anti climate change lobby, which resulted in their willingness to provide him financial support. A good example of this the can be seen with the Koch Foundation Charitable Foundation, which contributed the largest donation of $150k.
Charles G. Koch and David H. Koch are joint owners of the oil corporation Koch Industries, the second largest privately-held company in America. According to Greenpeace, the Koch brothers have reportedly spent $55m supporting climate change denial groups.
Muller’s findings support the position of the IPCC, adding further evidence that the Earth is warming. It did not support the claim that the data had somehow been massaged to produce evidence that the global temperature is rising. As a consequence there have been demands in the media for an apology from the climate deniers, and for further action to be taken on climate change. Bob Ward, Policy and Communications Director of the Grantham Research Institute for Climate Change and the Environment in London told the BBC:
“It is now time for an apology from all those, including US presidential hopeful Rick Perry, who have made false claims that the evidence for global warming has been faked by climate scientists.”
This has put the climate change denial groups in an awkward position. However, despite seemingly being on the back foot, they are not backing down. They have subsequently distanced themselves from Muller and have proceeded to go on the offensive.
Marc Morano, a former aide to known climate change sceptic U.S. Republican Senator Jim Inhofe and author of the website Climate Deport (part of the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow) wrote:
“This whole [BEST] project has to be a set up to screw skeptics. Who disputes warming has taken place? Why have we allowed Muller to set up a straw man argument to take cheap shots at skeptics? It appears Muller is incapable of running this project.”
He further argues that the findings are misguided and that they falsely reaffirm the credibility of climate change in the public eye.
The BEST project may have dismissed the claims that previous climate change data had been manipulated, however it has done nothing to damage the resolve of Morano and others opposed to climate change action. They have taken a more subtle approach and dismissed the project’s findings as evidence of global warming being linked to human activity, and have stood by their previous argument that climate change is nothing more than a natural occurrence.
So where do deniers of climate change go from here? Looking at the media coverage it seems to suggest that the anti-climate change lobby has lost integrity and it has further boosted the resolve of the green movement. According to an editorial in the Guardian, it seems the findings have further fanned resentment towards the Conservative Party in the UK, especially in light of the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne’s desire to opt out of carbon reducing emission targets and the cancellation of projects like the £1bn carbon capture and storage scheme in Scotland.
Companies with vested interests like ExxonMobil and Koch Industries have spent a lot of money to delay action on climate change. The conclusion from this latest report can be seen as yet another blow to the the argument that humans have no impact on climate change. This has increased pressure from environmental groups for more action to be taken. Unfortunately in the presence of a global recession, cutting emissions is a very bitter pill to swallow.
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Well said! Great article; Well Done Daniel! It is a shame the lack of commitment shown by this government towards working to reduce emission targets together with the cancellation of the £1bn carbon capture and storage scheme in Scotland. What a devastating legacy to our country and world; Mr. Osborne’s will be remembered in years to come as one of the most foolish and irresponsible Chancellor enemy of The Environment and guilty of the devastation cause by the Climate change. It seems that Conservative Governments contribute to the destruction to our planet and do not care for the well been of its citizens.