Arguments
The Climate Show #34: four Hiroshima bombs a second
Posted on 29 June 2013 by Gareth
It’s been almost half a year since Glenn, Gareth and John last met over the intertubes to discuss climate news — but we’re 97% sure we’re back, catching up on all the recent climate news. John discusses the recent Cook et al (where al is the Skeptical Science team) paper on the 97% consensus on climate science and the accompanying Consensus Project web site, “sticky” facts like using Hiroshima bombs as a unit of warming. Plus all the news on recent weather extremes — flooding in India, Canada, and Europe, climate impacts on the wine business, and Gareth’s recent interview with Bill McKibben.
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I'd like to point out that in this Climate Show, I predict that Queensland win the State of Origin, a prediction which came true. I also predict Australia win the first Ashes test - given my successful Origin prediction, I'm confident that too will come to pass.
JC@1
;o)
John Cook,
You are trying to derail this whole Climate Show. I postulate "State of Origin" and "Ashes" phenomenons you're bringing in, have no relationships with the title of this show, or any relationship is incidential (like number of pirates vs global warming), unless you prove otherwise :)
Back to the topic. In this interview, Bill explains his "Math" based on the number 450ppm CO2, although somewhat reluctantly. Well, I'm bit disapointed because that's in odds with his organisation 350.org: did he already give up advocating 350ppm ?
I know the maths of 450ppm because all media is talking about it: that's the political limit. But the scientific limit, according to Jim Hansen is 350ppm, corresponding to, if I recall well, 1.5C total warming including the Earth system response. That math would be more interesting for me: i.e. how long should we wait, given the fastest possible emission peak and decline scenario, for the ocean to absorb CO2 back down to 350 level, and pray that both GIS and WAIS hold on and other no other feedback is triggered. That's the math I would like to see here...
Chriskoz, it is an article of faith in Queensland that State of Origin is at the center of the universe; and therefore can never be off topic in any discussion. The Ashes are only slightly less important. One of the gravest ill effects that may attend on global warming is the potential cessation of these series due to the collapse of civilization.
;)