I’ve been wondering about this lately: what is the real connection between climate change and what feels like more extreme weather lately? I’m certainly not the first person to ask this question, as evidenced by legislatures, reporters and scientists writing about it quite a bit lately. Here are a few resources to get you started on thinking about your own conclusions on this topic:
Cheat Sheet: Connection Between Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events
The World Resources Institute published a fact sheet pulling together stats, quotes and research from twenty sources on the linkages. Download it here.
Scientific Editorial: Nature on Extreme Weather
A recent editorial from Nature (arguably the most respected scientific journal) says the evidence is not yet there to support that link. Here is their editorial on extreme weather.
A quote comparing the state of the research to athlete performance as a result of steroid use sums up the state of the debate:
“ For any one of his home runs… you would not know for sure whether
it was caused by steroids or not…. But you might be able to attribute his
increased number to the steroids.”
What do you think? Correlation? Causation? An increase in “home runs”?
Further Reading
- Markey/Waxman Report: Carbon Pollution Creating A ‘Cocktail Of Heat And Extreme Weather’ (thinkprogress.org)
- ‘Extreme’ weather is the new norm (guardian.co.uk)
