THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 2009
Impacts of Man-Made CO2 Emissions are Benign, NIPCC
Many of the statements in this posting are excerpts from the Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change's (NIPCC) 2008 summary for policymakers, which is titled 'Nature, Not Human Activity, Rules the Climate'.
According to the NIPCC, there is clear and compelling evidence that higher levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), even if accompanied by higher temperatures and changes in precipitation, would, on balance, be more beneficial than harmful.
Highlights from the NIPCC report..............
1. The IPCC's (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) estimate of future man-made CO2 emissions are too high.
---There are basic errors in economics and the handling of economic statistics in the IPCC modeling.
---The IPCC grossly exaggerates the long-term increase in emissions from poor countries, and the idea that poor countries would grow so fast is implausible.
2. Higher concentrations of CO2 would be beneficial to plant and animal life.
--Higher CO2 concentrations allow plants to grow bigger and produce more flowers and fruit.
--Higher CO2 concentrations lead to reduced rates of water loss by transpiration, thus, plants are able to better withstand drought.
--Higher CO2 concentrations allow plants to better cope with a variety of environmental stresses.
--The NIPCC claims that increases in CO2 does not harm coral reefs, in fact, in the Great Barrier Reef the "20th century witnessed the second highest period of above-average calcification in the past 237 years.
3. Higher CO2 concentrations are not responsible for weather extremes, storms or hurricanes.
--The report shows that there is no evidence, at least in the U.S., that extreme high temperatures are on the increase.
--Recent European heatwaves have been caused by circulation anomalies.
--A warmer climate would lead to increased vertical wind shear, which would impede the development of hurricanes.
--In regards to mid-latitude storms, global warming will lead to a lessening of temperature gradients between the equator and the poles. The result would be fewer and less intense storms.
So, based on these conclusions from the NIPCC, should we have nothing to worry about in terms of increasing CO2 emissions?
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The NIPCC's full 2009 report, which is titled 'Climate Change Reconsidered' was published by the Heartland Institute, and co-authored by Craig Idso and S. Fred Singer.
Isn't it refreshing to see that at least somebody in the Global Warming debate hasn't shut out the other side?
