All that stuff we’ve heard about global warming being unquestionably
responsible for more frequent devastating hurricanes? About how the
devastation we saw after Hurricane Katrina would soon be the norm? Yeah,
not
so much:
One of the most influential scientists behind the theory that global
warming has intensified recent hurricane activity says he will reconsider
his stand.
The hurricane expert, Kerry Emanuel of the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, this week unveiled a novel technique for predicting
hurricane activity. The new work suggests that, even in a dramatically
warming world, hurricane frequency and intensity may not substantially
rise during the next two centuries.
The research, appearing in the March issue of Bulletin of the American
Meteorological Society, is all the more remarkable coming from Emanuel,
a highly visible leader in his field and long an ardent proponent
of a link between global warming and much stronger hurricanes.
Lessons to learn (again) from this:
- Our understanding of Earth’s atmosphere isn’t anywhere
near complete.
- Therefore, the “consensus” that we often hear about
on the potential effects of climate change isn’t necessarily
correct.
- As such, we should be wary of those who propose drastic responses
to a “crisis” that we simply do not fully understand.
Dr. Jay Richards has noted many times that there are four questions we
should ask about climate change before we implement any policy in response
to it. You can hear him talk about those questions next Thursday
here
in Grand Rapids. Check that link for more information.
