This weekly newsletter, focused on environmental issues, highlights relevant analysis done by the John Locke Foundation and other think tanks, as well as items in the news.
1. 2010, the Temperature Record: "The standstill seen in 2001 continues"
There have been a number of stories claiming that 2010 was the warmest year on record. This article on The Observatory web page looks at the temperature record from a number of different sources. Some show a particularly warm year, and others do not. But what is clear from all of the data is that the entire year’s average temperature was heavily influenced by exceptionally high temperatures in a couple months during the spring. These temperatures were quite consistent with what are typically experienced during El Nino years — 2010 was an El Nino year. This is what the author concludes from observing the data:
Many press reports said that 2010 was a near-record breaking year despite the cooling influence of a La Nina later in the year. What was omitted however was mention of the fact that the reason why the year was marginally warmer than previous years was because of the warming El Nino.
Contrary to press reports the evidence is that 2010 was a year no different from all of the years 2001-2009 with the exception of a moderate to strong El Nino that elevated temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere’s Spring, and a cooling La Nina later in the year. The standstill seen in global temperatures since 2001 continues. (Emphasis added.)
2. Over 50 climate scientists submit open letter to Congress
On February 8, a group of over 50 scientists skeptical about alarmist claims concerning global warming submitted a letter to Congress called "The Truth About Climate Change Open Letter" This was in response to an earlier letter submitted on January 28 by a group of 18 global warming alarmists which basically made a series of scientific claims alleging all of the usual horror stories about global warming. Ultimately they claimed that all of the legitimate science is on their side and that opposition is not scientific but political. I recommend that you read both of these letters (in the first line of the Feb. 8 letter there is a link to the original Jan. 28 letter).
3. A conversation about global warming
I’m sure many of you have seen the YouTube conversations about current events between two robot-like cartoon characters. Well, here’s a new one on global warming. It’s fun to watch and takes some good swipes at Al Gore. For those of you that cannot view the YouTube clip embedded below, here is a link to watch it online.
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