Addressing the Evidence for Anthropogenic Climate Change

• Activity Number: 494
• Type: Invited
• Date/Time: Wednesday, August 3, 2011 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
• Sponsor: ASA Advisory Committee on Climate Change Policy
• Author(s): Richard L. Smith*+ and L. Mark Berliner*+ and Ross McKitrick*+ and John R. Christy*+
• Companies: The University of North Carolina and The Ohio State University and University of Guelph and University of Alabama at Huntsville
• Keywords: Climate Change

Abstract

The American Statistical Association Board of Directors in 2007 endorsed a statement "Warming of the climate system is unequivocal ... and [m]ost of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations." In 2009, the ASA president joined leaders of 17 other scientific organizations in signing a letter to U.S. Senators saying, "...climate change is occurring, and rigorous scientific research demonstrates that the greenhouse gases emitted by human activities are the primary driver." This session, which will included representatives from the ASA Advisory Committee on Climate Change Policy (ACCCP), will examine the evidence for anthropogenic climate change from a statistical viewpoint. The speakers will also discuss the role of statisticians in the climate change science discussions.