How can we be so stupid?
Every so often we get an email from someone who raises an interesting point. In this case a person called Chris asked us:
How can you be so stupid as to believe in mans role in global warming. Have you ever heard of increased solar activity.You dummies will be proven wrong. I must say I think I will start selling carbon offsets to other dummies and make some more cash to buy another hummer !!!!!
Personal attacks and lapses of spelling aside, Chris’s point is a fair enough and worth addressing. The latest IPCC report has looked into the changes in solar activity (see pages 5, 11 and 12) and concluded that while it is likely there is some effect from increased solar activity, the overwhelming evidence supports human causes for the planetary heating we are currently observing.
It is very unlikely that climate changes of at least the seven centuries prior to 1950 were due to variability generated within the climate system alone. A significant fraction of the reconstructed Northern Hemisphere interdecadal temperature variability over those centuries is very likely attributable to volcanic eruptions and changes in solar irradiance, and it is likely that anthropogenic forcing [ie human activity] contributed to the early 20th century warming evident in these records.
Chris, assuming you do it properly, we’d like nothing more than for you to start selling carbon offsets too. The planet needs more legitimate offset retailers to help us live up to our human responsibilities and to clean up the damage we have collectively done. It’s a bigger job than one small company like mine can do. And hell-yeah, go buy that hummer if you really want to, and if they still exist by the time you’ve earned the money from carbon credit sales. You can donate it to a museum perhaps. — DS
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