“Mockery of science”: Climate scientists tear into new US climate report

A group of over 85 climate scientists has vocally criticized the latest climate report issued by the Department of Energy (DOE), deeming it unsuitable for guiding policy decisions. In a detailed review published on Tuesday, the scientists asserted that the report selectively presented evidence and failed to include peer-reviewed research to substantiate its claims questioning the negative impacts of climate change in the United States. The authors of the review condemned the report as 'fundamentally incorrect,' pointing out that climate science has been effective at modeling and predicting the effects of excessive CO2 emissions since the 1970s. This was around the time when Exxon employees began analyzing the consequences of fossil fuel emissions on the atmosphere. Over the decades, climate science has evolved into a vital resource for understanding how global warming influences various aspects of life, from agriculture and weather patterns to economic stability and mental well-being. Andrew Dessler, an atmospheric sciences professor at Texas A&M University, emphasized the report's shortcomings, stating, 'This report makes a mockery of science. It relies on ideas that were rejected long ago and is riddled with misrepresentations of scientific knowledge, key omissions, anecdotal evidence, and confirmation bias.' He further criticized the DOE for not engaging constructively with the scientific community regarding climate issues. In response to the backlash, a DOE spokesperson explained that the report was part of the previous administration's initiative to foster a more thoughtful and science-informed dialogue on climate change and energy. They noted that the report underwent internal reviews by DOE scientists and policy specialists and is open for wider peer review during a public comment period. Historically, U.S. government scientists have played a significant role in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports, which are widely regarded as the authoritative source of climate science. However, the process and timeline for the DOE's report creation remain unclear, and it appears that no public meetings were held during its drafting phase. The agency indicated that the report was peer-reviewed internally among its scientific community before being released to the public.