Federal Study Finds Accord on Warming

[YankeyMCC]

(snip)
A scientific study commissioned by the Bush administration concluded yesterday that the lower atmosphere was indeed growing warmer and that there was "clear evidence of human influences on the climate system."
(snip)

(snip)
The finding eliminates a significant area of uncertainty in the debate over global warming, one that the administration has long cited as a rationale for proceeding cautiously on what it says would be costly limits on emissions of heat-trapping gases.

But White House officials noted that this was just the first of 21 assessments planned by the federal Climate Change Science Program, which was created by the administration in 2002 to address what it called unresolved questions. The officials said that while the new finding was important, the administration's policy remained focused on studying the remaining questions and using voluntary means to slow the growth in emissions of heat-trapping gases like carbon dioxide.
(snip)



http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/03/science/03climate.html?hp&ex=1146715200&en=ccbe84a5b4e80ab6&ei=5094&partner=homepage

WTF! If there was ever any doubt how much clearer can it get that shrub and his buddies will DO NOTHING no matter what the evidence! Some frackin' leadership!

[rodeodance]

1. How will this be spinned is the mystery at the moment!

[rodeodance]

2. this is dire-says not really can slow at this point:

.....But Dr. Christy, who teaches at the University of Alabama, Huntsville, said the report also noted that computer simulations of the climate system, while good at replicating the globally averaged temperature changes, still strayed in projecting details, particularly in the tropics.

This implied that the models remained laden with uncertainties when used to study future trends, he said.

Dr. Christy also said that even given what the models projected, it would be impossible to slow warming noticeably in the coming decades. Countries would be wise to seek ways to adapt to warming, he added, even as they seek new sources of energy that do not emit heat-trapping gases.

[Hissyspit]

4. We've known that for a while. I've heard James Hansen and others

say this several times. All we can hope to do is slow the trend - even WITH Kyoto protocals.

[phantom power]

5. The only uncertainty now is...

whether it's going to be bad, very bad, extremely bad, or the true biblical apocalypse.

[Hissyspit]

3. How did that slip through?!

The administration must really be distracted.