Dealing with climate change sceptics

There is now a scientific consensus that human induced climate change is happening, as demonstrated in the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s fourth assessment report.

The IPCC is a body of several hundred scientists set up by the UN to bring together all of the published and peer reviewed science on climate change. Despite this consensus, there is still a minority who remain sceptical, fuelled perhaps by reporting in some parts of the media or a suspicion of the government and scientific community.

The benefits of adaptation at an SME are mainly private i.e. reducing business risks/costs and exploiting new opportunities rather than benefitting wider society or the local community. If an SME chooses not to believe in climate change then only they are likely to suffer or miss out on an opportunity.

UKCIP believes that there is no point getting drawn into arguments about the scientific evidence when neither side is an expert. Instead, we recommend that you focus efforts on working with those who do believe the climate is changing. Even those who do not believe in climate change may be interested in becoming more resilient to extreme weather.

There are several sources of information available for dealing with climate change sceptics:

  • Real Climate: a commentary site on climate science by working climate scientists for the interested public and journalists.
  • Skeptical Science: Web site exploring the arguments of climate change sceptics. Contains a useful list of the arguments commonly used by sceptics.
  • YouTube video: A US science teacher takes 10 minutes to explain how taking a risk-based approach to climate change might just save the planet. In a hat.

Remember that the science does not equate to a business case, so even those who believe in climate change may need further persuading that preparing for its impacts is worth spending time on.