Climate Change - What Does the Research Mean?
Monday, June 1 2009
Claims within the science community about whether and how global warming is affecting hurricane intensity and frequency, the ice field of Mount Kilimanjaro, and the polar ice masses are inconsistent and warrant further investigation before any regulations or policies are put into place.
There is little doubt that climate change has generated considerable scientific inquiry. Many have discussed whether global warming is occurring, and whether observed climate changes are natural variations or caused by human activities - often with considerable acrimony. And because of the socio-political implications, both domestic and international, this high-stakes debate will certainly intensify as it moves beyond rhetoric and becomes associated with a price tag that accompanies legislation.
This article presents a brief review of recent scientific literature on some of the postulated impending effects of global warming, focusing on works dealing with global warming as the cause of stronger or weaker hurricanes, sea levels receding or advancing, and ice caps thinning or thickening. It does not verify the authenticity of any of the conclusions summarized here. Rather, by highlighting the wide array of contradictory claims, it seeks to demonstrate the difficulty that even scientists have in interpreting the available evidence and the need for further investigation.
