Climate Change Underestimated: Scientific American

Researchers have revised methods for measuring ocean surface temperatures, with the help of reliable measurement buoys. Thus, revisions in the historical data are in order. Because oceans cover three fifths of the planet, researchers’ estimates were low, and climate warming and melting of polar ice is happening at a faster pace than once predicted. “These recent updates, suggesting that climate change and its impacts are emerging faster than scientists previously thought, are consistent with observations that we and other colleagues have made identifying a pattern in assessments of climate research of underestimation of certain key climate indicators, and therefore underestimation of the threat of climate disruption,” reports a team for Scientific American, who then explore the possibilities of systematic bias. Accusations by climate skeptics that the science community was alarmist, exaggerating findings, may have pressured individual researchers into second-guessing their work and presenting conservative reports. The authors point out that they detected no fraud or manipulation in climate research, but did find a desire for consensus and hesitation to report on estimates or contradictions to lay audiences that include hostile special interests. The authors recommend that the scientific community continue open communications while studying how policymakers interpret their findings. – YaleGlobal