1. Fully fledged AGW adherent - i.e. supporting a belief in anthropogenic (man-made) global warming, or the views of the UN-led IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)?
2. Climate non-conformist - with a belief that whilst the planet is getting warmer this is natural, cyclical and not man-made or carbon-based, and that it's likely that man cannot influence this cycle anyway?
3. Global Warming sceptic/denier - holding the view that there is not even a greenhouse effect at all, not even a 'natural one' - "Everyone who even accepts the term 'greenhouse gases' is infected"?
On the IPCC website under Organisation:
“The IPCC is a scientific body. It reviews and assesses the most recent scientific, technical and socio-economic information produced worldwide relevant to the understanding of climate change.” http://www.ipcc.ch/organization/organization.shtml
That seems even-handed and straightforward. But under Organisation/Procedures – Principles Governing IPCC Work (English):
“The role of the IPCC is to assess on a comprehensive, objective, open and transparent basis the scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant to understanding the scientific basis of risk of human-induced climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation.”
Not quite the same, is it? It assumes the basis of something that it was intended to enquire into - whether climate change is 'human-induced'.
So I come into Category 2 above. But I hasten to add that like many in the IPCC scientists grouping, I'm not a climate scientist either!
