Judith Curry: How Climate “Science” Got Hijacked by Alarmists

Summary

In this video, the debate on climate change and the overwhelming scientific consensus is challenged. Judith Curry, a climate researcher, reflects on her shift from supporting alarmist views to questioning the mainstream narrative. She discusses how political and financial incentives within the scientific community have fueled exaggerated claims, particularly around hurricane intensity and the broader climate crisis. Despite agreeing that climate change is a problem, Curry argues it is not a crisis, and shares her personal experience of facing backlash for voicing dissent against popular climate alarmism.

Takeaways

• 😀 Climate change is presented as an urgent crisis, but skepticism and questioning are often dismissed by the mainstream media.
• 😀 Judith Curry, a former climate alarmist turned skeptic, believes that the overwhelming scientific consensus on climate change is manufactured.
• 😀 Curry acknowledges that her previous research, which linked climate change to increased hurricane intensity, was flawed due to bad data and natural climate variability.
• 😀 The media and environmental advocacy groups tend to exaggerate risks related to climate change to stir public alarm and gain support for their agendas.
• 😀 Curry highlights the corruption in climate science, especially after the Climategate scandal, where researchers were found conspiring to hide data and suppress opposing views.
• 😀 The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was designed with a specific agenda to find human-caused climate risks, which Curry argues skews the science.
• 😀 Funding for climate research is heavily influenced by the presumption of dangerous impacts, rewarding alarmist researchers who emphasize catastrophe.
• 😀 Climate alarmism is further fueled by biased journal editors and media outlets, making it difficult for researchers with skeptical views to publish or advance in academia.
• 😀 The public is often fed exaggerated claims about climate change's impact, ranging from childhood obesity to airplane turbulence, fueling unnecessary panic.
• 😀 Curry's personal and professional integrity led her to transition away from academia, as universities punished her for challenging the prevailing climate change narrative.

Q & A

What is the main argument presented by climate alarmists in the video?

Climate alarmists claim that there is an overwhelming scientific consensus on climate change, and they argue that immediate action is needed to prevent a global catastrophe.

How does Judith Curry's experience challenge the mainstream view of climate change?

Judith Curry argues that while climate change is a concern, it is not a crisis. She criticizes the scientific community for exaggerating the risks, noting that some researchers have an incentive to push alarmist narratives due to funding and career motivations.

What is the 'manufactured consensus' that Judith Curry refers to?

The 'manufactured consensus' refers to the idea that climate science has been shaped by political and financial pressures, where researchers and institutions are incentivized to emphasize alarmist findings to secure funding and career advancement.

Why does Judith Curry believe that some climate change research is flawed?

Curry believes that some climate change research, such as her own earlier work on hurricane intensity, is based on bad data and does not account for natural climate variability. She also highlights the influence of the climate change industry in promoting alarmist findings.

What is the significance of the 'Climategate' scandal mentioned in the video?

The 'Climategate' scandal revealed that some climate scientists were involved in unethical practices, such as attempting to hide data and suppress opposing viewpoints. This reinforced Judith Curry’s belief that the climate change debate had been corrupted by political and financial interests.

How does Judith Curry's transition to the private sector reflect her views on the climate change debate?

Curry's move to the private sector was motivated by her frustration with the academic environment, which she felt punished dissenting opinions. She chose to leave a high-paying job at Georgia Tech because of the hostility she faced for questioning the mainstream climate narrative.

What role did the U.N. play in shaping the climate change narrative?

The U.N. played a key role in shaping the climate change narrative through the creation of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The IPCC was tasked with investigating dangerous human-caused climate change, but its mandate excluded looking at potential benefits of warming, which some argue led to a biased focus on risks.

Why is funding such a significant issue in climate change research?

Funding is crucial in climate change research because researchers depend on grants to conduct studies. The video suggests that research funding is often tied to alarmist perspectives, as those who emphasize the dangers of climate change are more likely to receive financial support.

How does the media contribute to the climate change alarmism discussed in the video?

The media plays a role in amplifying alarmist climate change narratives by focusing on extreme weather events and sensationalizing their connection to global warming. This contributes to public fear and activism, further reinforcing the climate change crisis narrative.

What is Judith Curry's stance on the urgency of addressing climate change?

Curry agrees that climate change is a problem but does not view it as an immediate crisis. She suggests that the situation is more complex than the media and alarmists portray, and that solutions should be approached with a more balanced perspective rather than through panic and drastic measures.