Climate Change Reconsidered - Invitation to Workshop

The Karnataka Environment Research Foundation (KERF),

Institution of Engineers, Karnataka state Centre (IEI-KSC)

&

Liberty Institute New Delhi

Cordially invite you to

A Panel Discussion on

Climate Change Reconsidered & Release of the summary in Kannada

 Release of the executive summary of book Climate Change Reconsidered: 

Prof. H. R. Ramakrishna Rao, Science Communicator and former professor of Physics from Christ College, Bangalore

Date: Friday, June 17, 4 pm to 7 pm

Venue: Institution of Engineers, Karnataka State Centre, 

Dr. Ambedkar Veedhi, Opposite Indian Express, Bangalore 560 001

 

Changing Climate 

Over the past few years, the scientific debate has intensified on the nature and possible causes underlying changing climate. Questions have arisen over the significance of man-made green house gases in stimulating global warming. Science progresses through such rational criticism and objective discourse, and not through consensus invoked by any authority.

The United Nation’s Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change, was formed in 1988, to provide an assessment of global climate change.  IPCC’s Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) released in 2007 linked the warming over the past 30 yrs, about 0.7 C, to anthropogenic green house gases, particularly CO2. At he UN’s Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), countries have been debating possible carbon emission targets to minimize future adverse impact of changing climate on human societies.

However, over the last few years, a number of errors have been identified in the AR4. Also, a number of plausible alternative theories have emerged explaining possible changes in climate. Consequently, there is a growing need to reassess the policy options and the economic impact of climate. The government of India too has taken a number of initiatives to improve understanding of the underlying science and policy options. 

The Purpose

The purpose of this event is to initiate a fresh discussion on the different dimension of the debate on global warming. The aim is to build a movement, a network of scientists, economists, policymakers, elected representatives and concerned citizens who believe in sound science and economic policy options. The goal is to limit the rampant fear mongering, exaggerated claims and media hype, which are casting a shadow on rational assessment of climate and objectively shaping policy, if any, to address the possible impact of changes in climate.

Background

 

In 2009, the Heartland Institute, a non-profit organization in the USA, had published the “Climate Change Reconsidered”, a 800-page report put together by an independent panel of scientists, under the banner of Non-governmental International Panel on Climate Change (NIPCC).  This report is perhaps the most comprehensive response to the latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The next report of the NIPCC is expected to be released in 2013. 

In 2010, Liberty Institute in New Delhi, in partnership with the Heartland Institute, reprinted the NIPCC report “Climate Change Reconsidered” for wider dissemination in India. In addition, the executive summary of the report has been translated in to half-dozen Indian languages. These may help contribute to a more rational discourse on climate change.