Thoughts After the Release of the UN's Latest Climate Report

With the recent release of the UN's IPCC's "Summary for Policymakers" (a political, not scientific,  document), the amount of garbage info about a warmer climate has mushroomed like toadstools. 

WoodforTree's blend of the four most widely
used earth temperature metrics.
Woodfortrees.org

Their claim that world temperatures have never been higher in modern history is just wrong. The peak was in 2016. Temperatures have dropped since. That is almost certainly due to the La Nina (cold water in the Pacific). That drop is likely inconsequential as temperatures will probably begin rising again with the El Nino forming in the Pacific. But, the position we are at a record is simply bad science.

The item below is just silly.

This gradual temperature rise was one of the greatest things to ever happen to humanity!

In 2018 (pre-COVID), a World Bank study showed,

• The rate of extreme poverty was the lowest in the history of the world.
• Plentiful food. Highest food production in world history on a per-capita and absolute basis. That is not so say there weren't hungry people, but the food was available to feed them (dictators withholding food is not a climate issue). Longer growing seasons plus the Green Revolution have made a giant difference to humanity. 

Still true today:

• Lower energy use. Worldwide, far more energy was and is used for heating than cooling. 
• Far fewer deaths from exposure. Cold is seven times deadlier than heat. 
• Number of violent tornadoes are significantly fewer. 
• At worst, hurricane strength or frequency have not increased. 
• Widespread meteorological famines seem to be a thing of the past. We haven't seen anything like the mid-late 20th century famines in more than a quarter century. That is not just from my analysis of the data, see here. 
• Just last week President Biden traveled to deliver a speech on global warming in a 70+ car motorcade made up almost entirely of heavy limos and SUV's. If climate change was that serious, I'm certain the President would set a better example. 

Sea level increase has been a trivial problem, to-date. The Maldives were supposed to be unlivable by 1992. Instead, they are flourishing as never before. 

Ecosystem collapse, such as the issues with the Great Barrier Reef, have turned out to have been a temporary issue. The Reef has never been in better shape.

You might ask, Then why are you in favor of dramatically cutting down CO2 by switching to nuclear and hydrological power?

Because, while global warming has been a net positive so far, we don't know if that will continue. My second reason is that I want to preserve chemical feedstocks and fossil fuels for future generations. 

While it is extremely basic, climate science can't/won't even hazard a guess as to the ideal global temperature for humanity to flourish. Why? I suspect it is because they might find today's temperature is rather close. Or, if it is warmer than today, all of those huge research and mitigation dollars -- and the opportunities for graft that go with them -- diminish. 

Rather than running around with our heads on fire every time some agency wants more money for climate, it is time to approach the problem intelligently. Wind energy gets us nowhere and is actually a negative. Nuclear and hydro give us a huge chance to bring prosperity to many areas (including Africa) that have long deserved it by increasing energy availability and lowering costs. 

This is my position.