On December 4, 2012 Piers Morgan had two guests on his show to discuss global warming. Marc Morano dominated the dialog. Mr. Nye could barely get a word in edge-wise while Mr. Morano spewed a litany of anti-climate change rhetoric.
Marc Morano’s Depot of climate lies centers around a collection of arguments that are either an extreme minority opinion in climate research, blatant twisting of facts presented by scientists or in report, or flat out deception. I leave it to the reader to come to his own conclusion from this analysis.
Don’t take this report as face value, review his claims, you’ll find a thin veneer of rhetoric over a twisting of the facts.
Analysis of Marc Morano's talking Points from 12/4/12
Piers Morgan Tonight show |
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Summary |
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©
2012, Frank Paine |
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Piers Morgan had Marc Morano from Climate Depot as a counter to
Bill Nye the science guy to argue different points on climate change on
12/4. Morano recited a littany of
anti climate change talking points in the show |
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Piers
Morgan's blog is here |
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A
detailed transcript with hyperlinks to reference is at the conservative blog
here. |
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Morano's
statement
(with hyperlink) |
Reference used
to support point |
Analysis of
reference |
Counter
argument against response |
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Hundreds of factors influence global temperature |
ClimateDepot
Offers Sound bite Answers to Man-Made Global Warming |
Referenced to
Philip Stott - Well within the 3% of Climatologists who disagree with Global
Warming |
Reference to argument is fringe opinion
regarding global warming, or misinterpretation of public statements |
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Sun
Influences global temperature |
Decline in Sun output may induce little ice age |
Reference
to 2007 peer-review study. Argues that the little ice age of 1645 caused by
reduced solar activity |
Decline
in solar activity would cause a cooling effect, which is not happening, as
discussed in the PDF |
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Cloud
feedback influences global temperature |
The Hockey Schtick: negative feedback from clouds
dampen global warming |
It's
a blog with no comments? |
Clouds reflect energy and trap heat reflected by
the earth. Models show clouds
absorb 4 times more energy than previously thought. |
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Volcanic
Dust influences global temperature |
Lack of volcanic dust may have resulted in a
fractional degree increase in global temperature |
Lack
of dust would be responsible for 0.1 - 0.2 degree rise. Global temperatures
have risen over 1 F |
Like
dust, this argument is clouding the debate |
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The idea that CO2 is the tail that wags the dog is not
supportable. |
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Marc
Morano shows that it pays to be ignorant. |
Wikipedia has a whole portal on global
warming. It's pretty detailed. |
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New Peer-reviewed story shows
Medieval and Roman warming periods were warmer than today. |
Written by David Whitehouse at the Global Warming
Policy Foundation |
Reference to article on Extra-tropical Northern
Hemisphere temperature (fig 5) |
Blatant
misinterpretation of data in report based on one data point. (glacial decline
also not historical issue) |
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We've gone 16 years without
global warming |
Global Warming Policy Foundation: Media should do
their homework. |
Reference
to an article in the Daily Mail - and the rebuttal in Guardian |
The Guardian deconstructs the arguments pretty
well - demonstrating they have an extreme view. |
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16 year data source (UK Met
Office) |
Watts up with that (Anthony Watts), Written by David Rose
- contrary to scientific reporting covered in UK DailyMail |
Response from Met Office team. Rose has misled
before about climate change. |
His
response lies with statistics. |
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Acts of Congress can control the
weather |
Marc
Morano interview on Fox (11/26/12) |
Bad
weather events are natural occurrences and shouldn't be used to justify
global warming regulations |
Congress can control the issues with the
climate, as demonstrated with regulation of chemicals impact the ozone layer. |
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Growing human numbers destroying
the planet is nonsense |
UK
Prospect Magazine - Fred Pearce 3/8/2010. - Population is leveling out |
Argument
that the developing countries are responsible for most CO2 emissions. |
Key
point of the article is that overconsumption is the issue that is destroying
the planet |
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Population Going Down: Is too
few people the new 'population problem?' |
Radio
Debate with Thom Hartmann 8/11/2009 |
birth rates for some developing
nations below "replacement level" |
Red Herring. It
isn't the population, it's consumption. |
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What impact does CO2 have on
Climate change? |
Physicist
Dr. Will Happer claims increase of CO2 is good for mankind in front of
Senator Inhofe Environment and Public works committee. (2/25/09) |
"frightening
consequences" of Increase levels of CO2. CO2 levels were as high several times
in past 10000 years |
Blatant falsehood. CO2 levels weren't has high any time
in historical records. |
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Warmer period with lower CO2 |
Blog Post called "the colder side of Global
Warming" which refers to Real Science blog |
showing
graphic of temperature vs. CO2 concentration during "Medieval warm
period" |
Medieval warm period wasn't as warm as modern
times. (science 9/4/2009) |
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Colder Periods with higher CO2 |
Note
that this is written by an Australian Farmer actively involved in Australia's
industry and organizations (2009) |
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There
will always be a fringe group that disagrees with climate change, such as
this - CO2 levels are higher now than at any prior age |
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You have to go way back |
Back to the Hockey Schtick |
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Last previous peak of CO2 was 325,000 years ago
and far below our current peak. |
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Global Medieval Warm Period |
Global Warming for one tropical island in
Southern Hemisphere (New Caledonia) |
Warming
for one island between 950 - 1250 AD, while in Europe temperatures |
This was before the "little ice age"
(16th-19th centuries) and current records show much higher temperatures |
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Our web site has scores of
studies |
BBC
Radio Discussion between Marc Morano & Michael Mann |
All
studies cover extreme minority versus general consensus of scientists |
Large Global Consensus of Scientific
organizations who agree with climate changed induced by civilization |
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Demolishes the hockey stick idea |
See
shtick above |
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Another scientific reference that demonstrates
his minory opions are pure rhetoric. |
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CO2 increase is not dangerous |
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"Dangerous"
is a loaded term not worth discussing |
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Scores of Studies |
Morano v. Mann BBC interview: 11/30/2012 |
BBC
interview of Michael Mann vs. Marc Morano (he plays offense against people
and facts) |
Marc
Morano's have not been specifically questioned regarding the claims at the
web site climate Depot and prior while working for Sanator Inhofe as Director
of Communication. He needs to be
cross-examined |
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All these factors dwarf the effects of CO2 |
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back
to dismissing the impact of CO2 without claiming they are in the minority
view |
2001 IPCC Report describes the impact of CO2 and
methane (and little impact from natural forces) |
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Anecdotal evidence - not
scientific |
Blog
of Roger Pielke, Prof. of environmental studies & Technology Policy
Research, UC Bolder (2010) |
"Various
unsupportable and just wrong claims are being advanced by leading scientists
and scientific organizations" |
Obviously Professor Pielke understands he is in
the minority view, I wish Mr. Morano did. |
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Science at the level of your
Daily horoscope |
Obama Speech 9/6/2012 |
Marc
Morano claims "full witchcraft" and that climate change isn't
causing extreme weather |
This is a blatant anti-science statement from
someone with an extreme minority view. (think squeaky wheel) |
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Climate change proof are only bad
weather events |
Another
reference to his Fox news interview (11/26/12) |
If
there isn't as many hurricanes than obviously there isn't global warming? |
Climate change proof is long term trends of
global measurements. |
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Tornado activity has dropped
dramatically (F-3 or higher) |
Blog of Doctor Roy Spenser - former NASA
climatologist |
selective
analysis of F3 tornadoes |
Overall tornado count is higher, though not as
intense. |
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Longest for Category 3 hurricane
not hitting US since 1990 |
Reference to WSJ Opinion article 10/31/2012 by
Roger Pielke Jr. |
The
great Miami hurricane of 1926 would cost $180B. Note Sandy's cost now close
to $50B (#6 rank) |
Skeptical Science site has good article
demonstrating that a link is likely. |
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No change in US drought in 60
years |
Palmer
Drought Severity Index (PDSI) overestimates global drought (nature 11/15/12) |
Legitimate
Science report - droughts may not increase since climate change |
Climate
change impacts other metrological patterns. |
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No drought change in 85-126 years |
Actually, it's about floods not droughts, blog by
Roget Pielke Jr. |
Reference to Hydrological Sciences Journal issue,
10/24/2011 |
A
completely invalid reference |
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Hottest year a political
statement |
Climate
Depot Editorial by Marc Morano, one year doesn't make a difference (note that it's about 2010) |
Discussion
was around 2012, MM pulls in 2010 as argument (duh?) & two years later…
AGAIN? |
Weather Channel Analysis shows that 2012 was the
hottest year on record. |
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Kyoto Protocol would not impact
the temperatures (Cato: 5/7/1998) |
Cato
Institute Policy Analysis completed by Patrick Michaels, Prof. of
Environmental studies at UV and Cato Senior fellow |
Kyoto
Protocol wouldn't have made a significant impact on CO2 and the climate |
Changes in the climate since 1998 is proof in the
pudding |
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Assuming you buy into their
science |
Climate
Depot Editorial by Marc Morano |
Many
2009 surveys show climate change lowest priority of issues |
10/15/12 Pew Research survey shows more agree
with climate change |
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US Climate Bill |
Free Market energy blog by Chip Knappenberger,
5/6/2009 |
Kappenberger
has Masters in Environmental Sciences and works at Cato Institute |
Reference to
argument is fringe opinion regarding global warming |
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Keep
the planet 4-5 degrees cooler |
Climate
Depot Editorial by Marc Morano |
Reference to Obama speech on 6/25/09 |
This
is a play on words - Not having it 4-5 degrees hotter doesn't make it 4-5
degrees cooler |
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EPA claims no effect on CO2
levels or climate |
Blog
by Anthony Watts - EPA reference quoted by Sen. Inhofe vs. Energy Sec.
Chu. & EPA Jackson
7/7/09 |
Unilateral action by US will have no effect on
climate, which was agreed by Jackson |
EPA Report has a report on climate change
indicators completed every two years |
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The Developing Nations are getting 1K+ Coal plants |
News article in the Guardian 12/19/12 |
Article
points out this is not a "safe climate scenario" |
Alternate
renewable energy sources could be funded with "Green Climate fund"
described below |
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Stopping carbon fuels impacts
poverty nations more |
Marc
Morano speech at UN earth summit - "sustainable development as oil, gas,
coal" 6/20-21/2012 |
Burn
baby, burn. |
Spend
more on research for non-carbon fuels, such as wind, solar and fusion |
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Most Immoral position you can
take |
South
African activist Leon Louw claims "green climate fund" keeps poor
nations from developing 12/11/11 |
UN
climate fund creates bureaucracy in developing nations without getting
anything done |
UN
climate conference puts all countries under the same legal regime and
distribute $10Bs to developing nations |
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Solutions will have no detectable
impact |
Analysis of Waxman-Markey climate bill 5/6/09 |
Wait
- it doesn't make a difference? |
Maybe
there should be a stricter bill that can make a real difference |
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Climate Models violate 81 out of
87 principles of forecasting |
3
scientists post rebuttal against 2010 US climate action report (5/5/10) |
link to 2010 Climate action report |
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Scientists are obviously with a minority view |
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Nothing doing - Ocean levels rising |
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Graph showing long-term changes show increase in
sea level. (see graph) |
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Nothing doing - planet getting hotter |
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Historical graph demonstrating temperature
increases |
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Nothing doing - ice sheets shrinking |
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Everyone who has doubt about climate change
should see this movie. |
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US CO2 emissions are dropping |
Rapid
adoption of Shale Gas dropping US CO2 emissions |
Link
to Global Warming Policy Foundation Blog has been removed |
Yes
- this can be a good thing, we need to convince other nations… |
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Sea
levels have been rising since the end of the ice age |
Blog by P. Gosselin, anti-climate change |
Reference
to article on CO2 Science web site.
Article missing? |
Obviously Mr. Morano has no clue about ocean
changes during glacial melt |
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There
is no acceleration |
sea levels are not rising faster, but slowing
down |
small
changes over short timeframes have varying results |
Graph showing long-term changes show increase in
sea level. (see graph) |
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No
acceleration per: Dutch Metrological Institute |
12/12/2008
Op-end in NRC/Handelsbad. Invalid link, also reference to 6/9/09 Wash. Post
article |
Current
link goes to Climatesci.org which is a list of anti-climate change references |
There
is no information to address this |
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land
base data |
Blog by Steve Goddard, showing sea level rise not
rising as fast |
Who
is Steven Goddard, but his argument is the annual rise of ocean level is
incorrect |
The intent reference link for this argument is
to show ocean rising over longer span of time. |
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No
Acceleration of Sea level |
Back to Steve Goddard, so refers to Sea level
rise article by BBC news |
11/29/2012 BBC article on polar ice melt includes
graph showing "ice sheet contribution to sea level" |
long-term trends show otherwise as described in
the actual article in Science 11/30/12 referenced by BBC |
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They
claim it's worse than we thought |
Editorial
by Marc Morano |
A
litany of references to misquotes or contrary claims |
There should be English reporters calling out
misquotes or contrary claims by Climate Depot |
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Ron
Paul Enters Petition signed by 31,478 Scientists into congressional record |
6/15/09: This is reference to the Petition
Project - Petition with no audit? |
Petition Project is a mockery of the
scientific process. |
More Examples of Opinions of impact on climate
caused by humans |
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More than 1000 Scientists
dissent over man-made global warming |
Report completed by Climate Depot & Committee
for a Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT) |
Signatures
scatted though document, 22-41, 47-61, 63-65, 310-320, do some scientists
claim data is taken out of context? |
Survey completed by Stanford University
professors of 1,372 climate researchers and published by Proceedings of
National Academy of Science: 12/2009 |
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Heartland
Institute petition w/16,000 signatures to Rein in Rogue EPA |
Senator Inhofe submitted petition to cut budget
of EPA |
Reference from ClimateDepot here 12/26/12 |
Attack against EPA is an example of the
Republican war on science |
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Letters
to Senators signed by 160 scientists (12/9/09) |
160
members of American Physical Society (note link to signees no longer valid) |
Note
that the signatures account to only 0.45% of American Physical Societies
47,000 members |
A full description how list was created is
described in the Paper "Science Bypass" |
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