Besieged by Climate Control free essay sample

In Mann’s article, â€Å"Besieged by Climate Deniers: A Scientist Decides to Fight Back† greenhouse gases are destroying layers of the earth’s ozone or atmosphere, which is the result of burning fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, oil. Research done by Mann and other climate scientific points out that there is a serious threat to our planet as a result of the overuse of fossil fuels and the sharply rising levels of the gases as we continue to burn more and more fossil fuels. According to Michael Mann, he and other scientist over the past decades have become the victims of retaliations by certain special interest groups, politicians, industries or ideologues who vehemently disagree with their climate change research and are trying to discredit or diminish the findings of their research. Understandably, their critics are unhappy with their research or findings. Subsequently, they are repeatedly ridiculed and accused of overstating or exaggerate the facts of their research regarding the effects of greenhouse emissions by their critics. We will write a custom essay sample on Besieged by Climate Control or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Consequently, their advocacies are on the defense or attack because their research it does not agree or fall in line with their policy, beliefs or goals with respect to their position on the use of fossil fuels, despite the reality, the facts or the quality of their research and findings. Therefore, the fossil fuel industry and its advocates are displeased with the unflattering research results of climate scientists, like Mann, which finds the use of oil, coal, and natural gas to be the major contributors of climate change and global warming. Mann states that their research is like significant pieces of a larger puzzle which they continue to fill in. When it is eventually completed it will give a true picture of the effect of global warming. It will point out the negative fallout or significant increases in adverse activities such as heat waves, rises in the earth’s sea level, disappearing shorelines, floods, availability of food resources and fresh water supplies, all resulting, if we continue to burn fossil fuels. Subsequently, the disbelievers or those who potentially stand to be effected and lose the most by the research done by climate control scientist’s, are out to destroy credibility or effectively diminish their reputations and findings by challenging the validity of their research that support global warming as a result of the overuse and abuse of fossil fuels that Mann points out to be the culprits of greenhouse gases and confirms the benefits in the decreased use of fossil fuels. Scientist like Mann and their adversaries or political foes want to dismantle the research and other significant research. The dismantling or attacks were initially prompted by the hockey stick papers, research studies done and supported by numerous scientists that contain graphs that demonstrate the rapid and steady spikes or increases of the earth’s temperature and global warming over the past 1,000 years. To disband this theory or the validity of the hockey stick papers, their critics want to treat such research or research that involve the hockey stick theory, like a house of cards, which if one falls down the rest will weaken and topple. Their adversaries hope antics like these, according to Mann will question or attempt to destroy their integrity or the integrity of their research. In his article, Mann refers to this as the â€Å"Serengeti strategy† where they look for what they perceive to be the weakest animal in the herd and then attack or pounce upon that one. Opposition, such as Joe Barton a Republican U. S. Representative from Texas, James Inhofe a Republican Senator from Oklahoma along with Virginia Attorney General, Ken Cuccinelli are all a part of the opposition determined to dismantle the research of global warming or under mind the credibility of the research and scientists like Mann. In his article Mann points out the motives of each. According to Mann, Joe Barton is one of the biggest receivers of fossil fuel funding in the House of Representatives. In his efforts to discredit the work of the supporters of global warming, Barton sent Mann and his colleagues letters demanding that they expose their professional and personal lives to scrutiny through an investigation committee involving Barton. Additionally, Joe Barton hired a statistician from George Mason University to disprove their research which was validated by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). James Inhofe, Barton’s ally, in synchrony, went even further to dispute their research or claims. According to Mann, Inhofe deliberately issued false claims or reports disputing their work or research. Inhofe went so far as to publish a book trying to dispel their research and the theories of global warming. In his book Inhofe tries to convenience readers that there is a conspiracy taking place amongst scientist like Mann behind and their global warming and climate change research. Inhofe expressed a desire to gain control of the Senate Committee and if he does, because of his beliefs and persistence involving global warming, would like to investigate Mann and 16 others scientist. It is his hope and effort to expose what he believes to be the truth or a conspiracy by the scientist as the results of an investigation or as outlined in his book. To further refute the research and intrude upon privacy of scientists like Mann, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli tried to subpoena the personal correspondence of Mann and many other scientists during Mann’s time at the University of Virginia. Cuccinelli efforts failed before the Virginia Supreme Court. The witch hunt, as termed by Mann, cost an estimated $600,000 in private funds defending the personal rights or privacy of climate scientists. Additionally, other groups and individuals have gone so far as to use multiple methods of intimidations or scare tactics such as threatening e-mails, which include anonymous death threats, along with threats through the U. S. ail that included a powdery substance like Anthrax, identified later by the FBI as a hoax and leaving the carcasses of animals, such as a rat, on the doorstep of one of one of his fellow scientist or colleagues, all in an effort to scare or discourage the scientists like Mann. However, because of the serious, potentially deadly consequences of and their position and concern for the negative effects of greenhouse gases and subsequent global warming, scientists like Mann are breaking their silence. Michael man and other scientist are making it publicly known that greenhouse emissions caused by the use of fossil fuels pose a serious threat to the delicate balance to our world’s ecological system. Scientist like himself are making a concerted effort to inform the public about the realities of climate change and global warming related to and occurring because of the negative and subsequent effects of greenhouse emissions. Unfortunately, the attacks and investigations taking place are because of the efforts of these scientists to expose the truth about the subsequent, detrimental effects effects of CO2/greenhouse gases. Tired of the persistent attacks and ridicule, personally and against their position and research on global warming, scientists, like Michael Mann, are deciding to fight back with the help of and through advocates and scientists like U. S. Representative Sherwood Boehlert, a Republican from New York, is helping climate scientist fight back. Additionally, scientist like Barton are being aided by such groups as Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) and Individuals like, Scott Mandia, a meteorology professor at the State University of New York. Their efforts and contributions have helped to concentrate the support and defend the climate scientists who have become the victims of these retaliatory efforts and attacks and support their position on global warming. Mandia, part of a group called the Climate Science Rapid Response Team (CSRRT) is helping to connect benefactors with scientists to assist in their plight by virtue of a defense fund, which helps pay for the legal fees for those scientist who are being attacked and are stuck with mounting legal fees, as a result of their situation or who may require legal advice assistance in order to defend themselves or fight back. In addition to Mandia, John Abraham, a physics professor at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, along with others, also help form a part of the rapid response team, which connects journalists with scientists to assist in their plight and spreading the news. Reasonably, scientist/climate scientists are only focused on the importance of their research and doing their jobs as it relates to their research. Subsequently, for the most part many scientists are not focused on or educated enough in such matters to eloquently take on the responsibility or sufficiently battle the sea of media and politicians/policymakers and manipulated investigations. Therefore, they need help in these areas and fortunately, help is being offered and given to those who need it through private individuals and organizations such as NCS and the CSRRT so that they are better able to bounce back and defend themselves from such retaliation. In Mann’s article, he admits that for more than a decade he has been the victim and the repeated target of attacks and threats by political interests groups who feel threatened by his and other scientific research on greenhouse gases and global warming. However, he is concerned, a top the obvious, about the negative feedback this can create with the false accusations and retaliatory conduct of such demigods, which can cause a back flash of fear, discouraging young or future or aspiring scientists and researchers from entering this area of research or science, which is deemed off limits because of the ridicule and attacks against scientist like himself. According to Mann the seeming baseless assaults on scientists have no use in our society or in a good democracy. His view is that an intelligent conversation can be had by all discussing, analyzing and understanding the scientific facts for the solutions or minimally the consequences of global warming. Finally, Mann states that though any relevant factors such as economics, policy and fairness need to be included in the equations but ethics must be a part of the equation as well as it affects our future and our children, and their children and our grandchildren existence and survival on the planet. Reference Mann, M. E. (2012, April 12). Besieged by climate deniers, a scientist decides to fight back. Yale Environment 360: Opinion, Analysis, Reporting Debate. Retrieved from http://e360. yale. edu/feature/climate_scientist_michael_mann_fights_back_skeptics/2516/#. T4bO2MVsVyg. twitter