Talking About the Weather
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Fall Focus on Books Talking about the Weather limate change is occurring, and lit- Picturing the Science, by Gavin Schmidt the reader to the literature on these Ctle is being done to mitigate, man- and Joshua Wolfe, and The Climate topics. A related issue arises earlier in age, or adapt to it. The international Crisis: An Introductory Guide to Climate the book when the authors assert that consensus, forged in the heady days of Change, by David Archer and Stefan ocean acidification is enough reason Rio and encapsulated in the Frame- Rahmstorf, aim to do something about “to halt the further rise of atmospheric work Convention on Climate Change, this. Schmidt, Archer, and Rahm- CO2 [carbon dioxide] concentrations, which commits virtually every country storf are distinguished scientists who even if CO2 did not also cause climatic in the world to the objective of stabi- regularly contribute to RealClimate changes” (p. 148). This is an important lizing “greenhouse gas concentrations claim, but the authors simply state in the atmosphere at a level that would their opinion. The problem is not prevent dangerous anthropogenic that they make such claims but that interference with the climate system,” they fail to develop or defend them, or is in tatters. The US government, which even guide readers to more extensive has the power to invade countries half- discussions. The result is a truncated way across the world in defiance of account of what the authors call “the international opinion, seems unable to climate crisis.” impose more than token restrictions Gavin Schmidt and Joshua Wolfe on the energy-consuming habits of have coedited a beautiful book that its own population, many of whom does an excellent job of explain- reject the reality of anthropogenic ing the diversity of activities that climate change, despite the scientific constitute climate science, giving the consensus. Meanwhile, global carbon reader a sense of how complicated dioxide emissions increase about 2 to this science really is. One strength 3 percent each year, and atmospheric (www.realclimate.org). All have done of Picturing the Science is that most cabon concentrations grow by 1 to yeomen’s work in trying to explain of the contributors emphasize the 2 parts per million. The underlying climate science to anyone who will tentativeness of their findings and causes—population growth and large listen, and they continue their efforts how little is really known in their increases in consumption—are hardly in these books. fields. This is terrific for convey- discussed in polite company, except In The Climate Crisis, Archer and ing the feel of really doing science, perhaps as “other people’s” problems. Rahmstorf condense the nearly 3000 but it plays into one of the deniers’ Against this backdrop it is becoming pages of the 2007 IPCC (Intergov- favorite tropes: Simply repeat in a increasingly difficult even to define the ernmental Panel on Climate Change) loud voice and with a bad attitude the problem of climate change, much less report into a book of less than 250 uncertainties that already have been to determine a solution. pages. They do an excellent job, with identified in the mainstream litera- Into these murky seas more and better writing than anyone has a right ture. Jeffrey Sachs (who contributes a more books are being launched each to expect of such a project. The book foreword) praises the book “as a tour year. Every book I discuss in this article is amply illustrated with well-chosen de force of public education,” but is valuable, instructive, and worth read- graphs and figures. When they must, he doesn’t say who exactly this book ing. However, the issue they address is, the authors go beyond the IPCC is meant to be educating. Because by their own lights, so urgent and reports to make their points. The book of the beautiful photographs, short important that it is reasonable to hold really comes alive in the last chap- essays, and first-person accounts, the these books to a very high standard. ter when they state their own views book poses as a coffee table book, This is no time for modest contribu- about climate policy. However, the but I doubt that many of the peo- tions and polite self-congratulation. discussion is short and oversimplified ple who would display this book We need a game changer, wherever we (e.g., someone who says “an ethicist would actually understand much that can get it. would say” doesn’t know many ethi- is in it. The real audience for this A little Internet surfing shows how cists, the discussion of discounting on book, in my opinion, is a particular prevalent crank views about climate p. 219 is provocative but hardly satis- variety of science geek and not the science really are. Climate Change: fying, etc.). Although good as far as it “general,” “educated,” or “attentive” goes, the discussion would have been public. The book does an excellent doi:10.1525/bio.2010.60.8.10 much improved by citations guiding job of “picturing science,” which is www.biosciencemag.org September 2010 / Vol. 60 No. 8 s "IO3CIENCE 639 Fall Focus on Books its main purpose, but for those who While Schneider focuses on the Schneider and Hansen were col- simply want to know whether climate international context, Hansen writes leagues for a short time at the God- change is going to kill us or is really in Storms of My Grandchildren from dard Institute for Space Studies, and a conspiracy of the elite against the the perspective of a US government their books invite comparison for this masses, the book will be frustrating. scientist. Hansen is concerned mainly and other reasons. Both books are For decades, more than any other two with events occurring from 2001 to conversational in tone, but Schneider’s Americans, Stephen H. Schneider and 2009, though there are digressions that is centered on events while Hansen’s James Hansen have been working the take us back further in time. The sto- revolves around his scientific papers. science and alerting the public to the ries of Bush administration political Schneider introduces the science with dangers of climate change. Now they appointees attempting to censor him a deft touch, but only when it is neces- have each written moving, personal ac- are by now familiar. What is more sary to the story he is telling. Hansen counts of their work as climate change surprising is Hansen’s access to senior is so in love with the science that he scientists and advocates. Both Schneider officials in the administration. In 2001, can’t resist lecturing us. Schneider is and Hansen are controversial figures, intensely interested in planet Earth and their books, Science as a Contact and all of its inhabitants. Hansen is Sport: Inside the Battle to Save Earth’s also interested in Earth, but he is more Climate and Storms of My Grandchil- interested in planets (plural) and their dren: The Truth about the Coming Cli- long-term histories. Both Schneider mate Catastrophe and Our Last Chance and Hansen are deeply value commit- to Save Humanity, respectively, will give ted, but in very different ways, and their fans and enemies more reasons to neither with sufficient reflection in love or hate them. These are books that my view. Schneider is sensitive about will harden attitudes, not sway them. the roles that values play in the climate I loved them both. change issue, but he often speaks of In Science as a Contact Sport, Sch- values as if they were entirely subjec- neider gives us an up-close and personal tive: We all have our own personal look at the development of the climate values, we should make them clear change issue from the time he entered and put them on the table. Schneider the scene (around 1970) to the present. Hansen briefed Vice President Cheney tells us that he values equity and the There is no pretense of this being an along with several cabinet officers. avoidance of irreversible changes. I objective history. Some meetings are High-level contact continued, though agree with these values, but there are made to sound more important than becoming less frequent, through- a variety of different concepts im- they were, and some people who mat- out the Bush years. I wish I could plicit in these words, and some people ter to the story barely get a mention, have been a fly on the wall when the would say that they do not share these but that’s all OK. What we get from (self-described) “shy,” “awkward,” and values in any form. Is there nothing Schneider is the feeling of what it is “tactless” Hansen was attempting to we can say to them? The challenge is to do this kind of science in the pub- convince high-level members of the not just to announce our values, as if lic eye (especially in his discussion of Bush administration of the serious- they were preferences for one flavor of the “global cooling” episode). He also ness of climate change. Rather than ice cream over another, but to mobi- provides a remarkably insightful look coming to agreement during those lize resources of reason, temperament, at the struggle to establish a new inter- years, Hansen and the Bush adminis- and shared perspectives to show how disciplinary field within the hidebound tration moved steadily in diametrically we can make progress in resolving institutions that constitute the scientific opposed directions. While Hansen was our deepest differences. Hansen often establishment. Schneider (famously) radicalizing, the administration was writes as if values can simply be read was a quick learner, shrewd observer, hardening.