Meteorologists know nothing about climate change

January 27, 10:21 AMDenver Weather ExaminerTony Hake

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What do meteorologists know about global warming? 
One author seems to indicate not much.

A pretty interesting headline isn’t that?  I admit that is probably a bit more sensationalistic than what is really called for. However, that would seem to be one of the conclusions from the author and analyst of a recent survey. 

In a survey conducted last year, Peter Doran, University of Illinois at Chicago associate professor of earth and environmental sciences, and former graduate student Maggie Kendall Zimmerman, sought to determine who in the scientific community supported the anthropogenic warming theory – the theory of manmade climate change.

3,146 earth scientists from various areas of expertise were surveyed for their opinions and in many ways, the data was not surprising.  Two questions were key to the study:

1. Have mean global temperatures risen compared to pre-1800s levels?
2. Has human activity been a significant factor in changing mean global temperatures?

Overall, 90 percent of the scientists agreed with the first question and 82 percent the second.  This is in contrast to recent Gallup polls that show 58% of the public would answer yes to number two.  Climate scientists as one might expect overwhelmingly support the theory to the tune of 97%.  The press release makes note that only 64% of meteorologists believe that man is a significant factor in global warming. 

What I find interesting is the author’s comments about the results from meteorologists: 

“Most members of the public think meteorologists know climate, but most of them actually study very short-term phenomena.”
- Peter Doran, Associate Professor, University of Illinois at Chicago, Earth and Environmental Sciences

In regards to the climatologists, he goes on to say, “They're the ones who study and publish on climate science. So I guess the take-home message is, the more you know about the field of climate science, the more you're likely to believe in global warming and humankind's contribution to it.”

Polar bears apparently should hope that climate
scientists can convince more people about
anthropogenic global warming.

The survey concludes, “It seems that the debate on the authenticity of global warming and the role played by human activity is largely nonexistent among those who understand the nuances and scientific basis of long-term climate processes.” 

Now I am just a layman and a weather geek that happens to write for a national web publication so what would I know?  I get the impression from reading the commentary that Mr. Doran feels that unless you are specialist in climate science, you know nothing about manmade climate change.  Climate scientists would certainly seem to know where their bread is buttered.  After all, if the theory weren’t true, they wouldn’t have a job and wouldn’t be getting all the big grant money and attention they are getting today. 

I do wonder how Examiner.com’s own Justin Berk, the Baltimore Weather Examiner and a meteorologist would feel about these statements?