Friends of Science
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Friends of Science is a Canadian non-profit organization founded in 2002, "Made up of active and retired engineers, earth scientists and other professionals, as well as many concerned Canadians, who believe the science behind the Kyoto Protocol is questionable." According to their website, the goal of Friends of Science is, "To encourage and assist the Canadian Federal Government to re-evaluate the Kyoto Protocol by engaging in a national public debate on the scientific merit of Kyoto and the Global Warming issue, and to educate the public through dissemination of relevant, balanced and objective technical information on this subject."[1] Its scientific advisors include Dr. Madhav Khandekar, Professor Chris de Freitas, Professor Tim Patterson, Dr. Sallie Baliunas, and Professor Tad Murty. The current president of Friends of Science is Douglas Leahey.
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[edit] Criticism
Friends of Science states:[2]
- Accurate satellite, balloon and mountain top observations made over the last three decades have not shown any significant change in the long term rate of increase in global temperatures. Average ground station readings do show a mild warming of 0.6 to 0.8 C over the last 100 years, which is well within the natural variations recorded in the last millennium. The ground station network suffers from an uneven distribution across the globe; the stations are preferentially located in growing urban and industrial areas ("heat islands"), which show substantially higher readings than adjacent rural areas ("land use effects").
The statement is contrary to the evidence reported in the scientific literature in several respects. The satellite temperature record and ground level observations both show significant warming,[3] though the statement that the observed warming over the last century has been 0.6 to 0.8°C is generally accepted. Contrary to the claim regarding the last millennium, most studies have concluded that the last 25 years are likely to have been the warmest in the past millennium (see hockey stick controversy). Analyses of surface data show that urban and rural sites have warmed at almost the same rate (within 0.05 degrees), indicating the effect of urban heat islands on measured temperature trends is small.[4]
Friends of Science has been criticised as an Astroturfing organization[5] with close links to the oil industry.[6]
Friends of Science has produced a 23 minute on-line video[7] that claims to contrast the views of politicians and scientists on the question of climate change. The scientists on the video included consultant Tim Ball, Prof. Tim Patterson of Carleton University, and Prof. Barry Cooper of the University of Calgary, all of whom are known for skepticism with regard to the mainstream scientific view on global warming. Scientists representing the mainstream view were not represented.
[edit] References
- ^ Friends of Science. Retrieved on March 5, 2007.
- ^ Myths/Facts: Common Misconceptions About Global Warming. Retrieved on March 5, 2007.
- ^ Temperature Trends in the Lower Atmosphere: Steps for Understanding and Reconciling Differences. CCSP Synthesis and Assessment Product 1.1. Retrieved on March 5, 2007.
- ^ Thomas C. Peterson (2003). "Assessment of Urban Versus Rural In Situ Surface Temperatures in the Contiguous United States: No Difference Found". Journal of Climate 16: 2941–2959.
- ^ Who's still cool on global warming?. Retrieved on March 5, 2007.
- ^ The Denial Machine - a CBC documentary about climate scepticism and funding. Retrieved on March 5, 2007.
- ^ Climate Catastrophe Cancelled: What You're Not Being Told About the Science of Climate Change. Retrieved on March 5, 2007.
