With single digit and below zero temperatures
enveloping half of the continental United States this week, there have been
arguments from conservative types, like Professor Steven Hayward, that Climate
Change is not true. Many have said that the Polar Vortex that has descended
upon us, dropping temperatures to near record lows (and in many cases
surpassing decades old records), means that Global Warming must be a farce, a
lie, a made up story used so people buy solar panels and stop buying
gasoline. Their reasoning is simple: if it’s cold outside right now, then how
could the world's temperatures be rising?
What is the Polar Vortex? According to Mark
Fischetti of Scientific American, the polar vortex is "...a prevailing wind pattern that circles the Arctic,
flowing from west to east all the way around the Earth." (Fischetti, 2014).
This circular wind pattern usually holds the cold air near the Pole, but
sometimes, as the pattern weakens, it can shift to the south, bringing with it
Arctic cold temperatures. As the Polar Vortex encounters the dipping jet
stream, it can slow and stop its migration south, which can lead to heavy
snows. [In 2010, Snowmaggedon was the result of this type of changing weather
pattern, according to atmospheric scientists (Fischetti, 2014)]. Regardless,
cold temperatures result, like what we are experiencing now. This type of event
has happened in the past and it will happen again. The frequency that
it takes place depends on a myriad of factors.
courtesy of Climate & Society Lectures at
Columbia University Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
When arctic temperatures rise, they can
push the jet stream farther south, leading to colder temperatures migrating
into the lower latitudes. Warmer
average global temperatures can increase the frequency of these types of
events. And frequency is the key to understanding Climate Change.
Climate Change is a result of
Global Warming, among other things. To keep this short and sweet, here it is in
a nutshell:
•
Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere prevent
heat from radiating out into space
•
This can lead to rising temperatures world
wide
•
The number of warmer days during a
year increases
•
Warmer temperatures lead to
more frequent and more powerful weather events (more energy in
the atmosphere and more water vapor fuel more powerful storms)
•
Jet Streams and weather patterns fluctuate more
often, leading to more frequent severe and unusual weather events
Just because its really cold outside right now doesn't mean
Global Warming is a fairytale. A single cold weather event in the middle of January
does not constitute a trend, nor does it disprove the complicated theory of Climate
Change. But there are many out there that want you to believe the opposite.
Professor Steven Hayward discussed the Polar Vortex
and "global warming" on the January 6th episode of "The Kudlow
Report", saying "Global Warming is slowly going the way of a lot of
the previous eco-disasters we can remember." He cites the population bomb
warnings of the 70's, the supposed energy crisis we were supposed to have
suffered and the scarcity of resources that many predicted as examples of other
predicted global catastrophes that never came to pass. (I have to say I think
the jury is still out on those). You can
watch the video here:
Professor Hayward waves off Global Warming as just
another example of an environmental crisis that follows an all too familiar
pattern and script: Doom and gloom and a predictions of a coming global
catastrophe. His proof that global warming is bogus is the record
breaking cold temperatures that have hit the USA for a few days in this month, January of
2014.
Therein lies the problem. Mr. Hayward unequivocally
dismisses global warming just because it’s cold outside right now!
This from the same man who has stated in his books and articles that we
need to study changing global temperatures over longer periods of time (more
then the 150+ years of weather and temperature records, and much farther back
then the 800,000 years of ice cores scientists have collected from all of the
world).
Mr. Hayward points to the Arctic Polar Ice Cap as
further proof that Global Warming is false. He states that in 2013, we
saw "one of the largest rebounds of Arctic ice in the last 15 or 20
years." (CNBC.com, 2014). He failed to mention that 2012 saw the lowest
Arctic ice levels ever recorded! That, coupled with this Arctic
cold snap is proof (in his mind) that the world’s climate is not changing. That's a bit like saying since your house has never been broken into, that crime doesn't exist.
courtesy http://www.epa.gov/climatestudents/scientists/clues.html
Environmentalists have taken quite a bit of grief over the years as the theory of Global Warming has led to the theory of Climate Change. As we learned more about Global Warming, we realized that higher temperatures had a much larger impact on the world's weather and climate patterns. As with all good scientific research, the more we learned, the more we understood and the theories evolved. Stagnant theories in science suggest a lack of research and discovery. A changing and evolving theory suggests greater study and a growing understanding. Hence Global Warming research led to the larger and more complex theories on Climate Change.
Mr. Hayward and others like him want you to believe
that cold temperatures this winter mean Global Warming is a joke; that
Climate Change is not real. However, these very same people preach that more
data needs to be gathered over longer periods of time in order to fully
understand the complexity of the Earth and all of its intricate patterns,
interactions and changing cycles. These
types will stand on the mountaintops and claim that humans are the masters of
the Earth, capable of wondrous feats, while in the next breath dismiss the idea that our race could have
any meaningful impact on our environment.
The Polar Vortex is an example of how weather
patterns can change over time. This type of weather pattern happened in the
past and it will happen again in the future. When and how often it will happen
depends on the complexity of Earth’s complicated weather interactions, which
have been and will continue to be affected by human activities on our planet.
Fischetti, M. (Jan. 6, 2014). What is the "Polar Vortex" That Is Freezing the US? Retrieved January 7, 2014, from http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2014/01/06/what-is-this-polar-vortex-that-is-freezing-the-u-s/
CNBC. (Jan. 6, 2014). The Kudlow Report: What Happened to Global Warming? Retrieved January 7, 2013 from http://www.nbcnews.com/video/cnbc/53997809/#53997809
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