Sceptics

Some scientists disagree with the global and UK predictions for climate change, mainly because the climate had changed naturally before. In addition predicting changes to our climate is very complex and the use of computer models has raised some criticism.

On top of that, some experts believe it is impossible to be certain about how our climate will change as it can be very unpredictable. They also believe, the climate is supposed to change and it has done before. Many believe activities from humans can not be to blame for changes in the climate.

The Cambridge based European Science and Environment Forum released an American report about climate change in February 2002. The report concluded that projections of climate change by the IPCC were based on unknown assumptions about the future and based on computer models which are not adequate for such a job.

Emeritus Professor of Biogeography at the University of London, Philip Stott, welcomed the report.

'In the UK, it is a media myth that there are only a few scientists who disagree with the view of 'global warming' on which the Kyoto Protocol is predicated.'

He went on to say;

'the authors [of the report, 'Climate Science and Policy: Making the Connection'] challenge the key antinomy at the heart of Kyoto - namely that climate is one of the most complex systems known, yet we claim we can manage it by trying to control a small set of factors, namely greenhouse gas emissions.'