Only 12 percent of the American people understand that 97 percent of their most trusted authorities, scientists, agree that global warming is real, serious, and caused by humans.
At the Skeptical Science blog, John Cook and friends are celebrating “97 Hours of 97 Percent Consensus” this week, with a new cartoon image and quote from a well-known climate expert. Worth checking out the page, (click on each scientist to see their quote) and John’s twitter feed, which will continue updating each hour.
(many don’t know, that John, like myself, is a cartoonist as well as master of climate info)
Dana Nuccitelli in the Guardian:
Research has shown that when people are aware of the expert consensus, they’re more likely to accept the fact that humans are causing global warming, and also more likely to support taking action to address the problem. Hence the consensus gap is a significant roadblock preventing us from tackling global warming.
This cartoon demonstrates a major problem in communication. Most of the American public has no idea what “400pm” means and if they were told, they would scratch their heads and ask why such a low concentration actually meant anything. (Fox News has already told them that it doesn’t.)
Second, they don’t use metric measurements, so what exactly is “10m”?
Here’s my reedit:
“If you keep carbon dioxide levels (produced from burning fuel and other things) at present levels in the atmosphere for the next 100 years, rising temperatures will likely melt the Greenland Ice Sheet and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. This will raise sea levels by about 30 feet and flood most of the coastal cities of the world, including New York and Miami.”
Well, in defense I would say that these are not quotes of “climate communication” – they are comments from scientists that might just as well have been said in context of talking with other scientists or people with an understanding of the field.
I am sure Cook wanted to keep these just like the scientists themselves uttered them, in contrast to what many denier sites try to twist words into saying what they want them to say.
However, I agree that Cook could have added a comment to each of these to describe terms and indeed link some of their own pages on the topic mentioned by each scientist.
As for 10m, when are USA going to switch to a metric system? Isn’t it about time now? 😉
I would at least have edited your suggestion to say “10 meters (30 feet)”. Most scientists use the metric system in their research.
You’re right about the metric system. But communication is “shared thinking”, and I don’t think most would get it. Maybe that’s why only 12 percent of the public doesn’t know what scientists think or know about climate or a host of other things.
You forgot the sarc/ tag there John Eric Victor ;>)
Explain?
I believe lorne is implying that you’re being sarcastic instead of sincere. If I’m correct then lorne is just trolling instead of engaging in the discussion.