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Archive for August 14, 2014
Rapid rise in Arctic temperatures linked to changes in extreme weather and global wind patterns
Aug 14th
“Temperatures in the Arctic have risen twice as fast as the rest of the world since 2000, and this could have triggered changes to global wind patterns, which have brought extreme weather to lower latitudes, the researchers said.”
Fringe global warming contrarians get disproportionate media attention
Aug 14th
New study finds fringe global warming contrarians get disproportionate media attention
Posted on 12 August 2014 by dana1981
“How frequently have you featured in the media regarding your views on climate change?
The answers to this question reflect whether the media is really fair and balanced on the subject of global warming. A truly balanced media would give equally proportional attention and coverage to climate scientists in the mainstream and on the fringes. For example, if 20% of contrarian climate scientists reported frequent media attention, a fair and balanced media would also give frequent coverage to 20% of mainstream climate scientists.
Instead, fringe contrarian climate scientists reported that they receive frequent media coverage twice as often as mainstream climate scientists.”
Specifically, 30% of those few who said that greenhouse gases have caused an insignificant amount of global warming (or even cooling) reported frequent media coverage, compared to just 15% of climate scientists who said greenhouse gases have caused strong global warming.
This disproportionate media coverage of fringe climate contrarians is a problem known as “false balance,” and has plagued not only politically conservative media outlets, but also purportedly neutral news organizations like the BBC. It stems from journalists believing it’s “balanced” to give “both sides” of every issue equal coverage, even if one of those sides represents the views of a small fringe of qualified experts.
The practice is no different than giving equal time to evolutionary biologists and Creationists, or to medical doctors and those who claim smoking doesn’t cause cancer. This new study confirms that according to the scientists themselves, fringe climatecontrarians who hold views well outside the mainstream are receiving disproportionate media coverage.”
http://www.skepticalscience.com/verheggen-contrarians-disproportionate-media-attention.html
Keystone pipeline
Aug 14th
Someone owes Bill McKibben an apology over the Keystone pipeline
“A key piece of support for this argument was a State Department estimate that the pipeline would have a negligible effect on total carbon emissions, because the oil would simply be shipped by rail. This gave credence to the Chait view, since it implied that McKibben hadn’t just picked a less-than-ideal issue as a stand-in for climate change as a whole, but was spending a whole lot of time and energy on an initiative that would literally have almost no impact on climate change.
However, a new study has re-examined the issue and come to a sharply different conclusion. Finding that the State Department analysis didn’t consider the effect the pipeline might have on the world oil market, it quadruples state’s high-end estimate of what effect Keystone XL might have on carbon emissions, from 27 million tons of additional carbon dioxide per year to 110 million tons.”
Frack off
Aug 14th
Oil companies fracking into drinking water sources, new research shows
“Companies say that fracking has never contaminated drinking water. The EPA launched three investigations over the last six years into possible drinking water contamination by oil and gas activity in Dimock, Pa.; Parker County, Texas; and Pavillion, Wyo. After initially finding evidence of contamination at the three sites, the EPA shelved the investigations amid allegations by environmentalists and local residents that the regulator succumbed to political pressure.”
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-fracking-groundwater-pavillion-20140811-story.html#page=1
Fracking Companies Fight Texas Families’ Air Pollution Suits, Fearing Precedent
“Two major oil companies have asked a Texas judge to dismiss a civil lawsuit that could draw new attention to the toxic air emissions from oil and gas production.”