Overview: Climate Change Consensus Among Scientists

Climate change is a pressing global issue that warrants discussion based on robust and verifiable scientific evidence. This article dissects the consensus among climate scientists and provides clarity on the extent to which the scientific community agrees on the reality, severity, and root causes of climate change.

Global Scientific Consensus

The overwhelming majority of climate scientists support the consensus that humans are causing global warming. According to studies, over 95% of active climate researchers publishing on the subject endorse this view. This significant agreement is reflected in the positions of many national science academies, including those from 80 different countries.

The distribution among scientists can be visualized through research, with a large majority convinced by the evidence of anthropogenic climate change, compared to a small number of unconvinced researchers. Notable among the dissenters are a few scientists with ties to fossil fuel industries or other economically right-wing groups who produce a limited number of papers that do not challenge the core principles of climate science.

Historical Context and Scientific Consensus

It is important to consider that scientific consensus can be influenced by various factors, including funding sources, political leanings, and other biases. History provides some cautionary examples, such as the consensus that the Earth is flat, where disagreement was often censored or met with severe consequences.

Over the past 50 years, there have been instances where the early scientific consensus on issues later turned out to be incorrect or incomplete. This does not, however, undermine the robust body of evidence supporting the current consensus on climate change. Each scientific consensus is the product of extensive research, peer review, and global collaboration, encompassing a broad range of disciplines and investigations.

The Reality, Severity, and Human Impact of Climate Change

Climate change is real, and its consequences will have a profound and lasting impact on humanity. The consensus among climate scientists is unequivocal in this regard. The effects will be dramatic and will require significant action to mitigate. Every day of inaction only exacerbates the difficulty and cost of future remediation efforts.

The severity of climate change is not up for debate; what varies is the timing and precise extent. The scientific community agrees that human activities are a primary driver of climate change, with scenarios ranging from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessing the consensus through multiple models, reviewed, critiqued, and iterated.

IPCC Scenarios and Future Projections

The IPCC's Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) outlined several scenarios, including a low-emission scenario and a ‘business as usual’ scenario, often referred to as the 'ugly one.' Given the lack of significant global action and additional findings on sea level rise, the low scenario has become increasingly unlikely. On the other hand, the 'business as usual' scenario remains a likely projection, particularly considering the significant increase in US emissions in 2018.

It is crucial to acknowledge that some climate change deniers and skeptics often promote misleading narratives. These individuals and groups, often funded by fossil fuel industries, spread discredited information, while their arguments lack the robust evidence and rigorous scrutiny provided by the scientific community.

Personal Stance and Conclusion

Given the robust and growing scientific consensus, it is essential to critically evaluate and prioritize reliable scientific evidence over alternative viewpoints. Blocking and muting those who propagate unverified and discredited information is a responsible approach. Climate change is not a political issue but a factual problem demanding urgent and coordinated global action.

The scientific community has made it clear: climate change is a serious and real issue caused by human activities. Addressing it requires immediate and substantial efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the irreversible impacts of a changing climate. The tide of consensus is clear, and the time to act is now.