Carbon Quote by Don Aitkin
“Is the warming unprecedented? Probably not. There is abundant historical and proxy evidence for both hotter and cooler periods in human history. Is it our fault? Again, maybe. The correlation of increasing warmth with increasing carbon dioxide concentrations is particularly weak; that with solar energy and with ocean movements is much stronger.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Climate Change Debate, 2020
The quote questions that climate warming cycles have occurred historically and that current warming may not be uniquely caused by CO₂, suggesting other factors like solar and oceanic influences are stronger.
In simple terms: Historical climate cycles exist; current warming may have multiple causes.
Key Takeaway
Consider all climate drivers, not just CO₂.
Themes
climate science
history
causation
Mood
skeptical
analytical
Type
scientific
policy
When to use this quote
- policy making
- educational curricula
- public discourse
- environmental activism
Key Concepts
anthropogenic impact
natural variability
proxy data
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we balance natural and human influences in climate policy?
- What evidence would shift the consensus on primary drivers?
A Different Perspective
The strength of CO₂ correlation varies regionally and temporally, and causation is complex.
![“Are global temperatures rising? Surely, they were rising from the late 1970s to 1998, but 'there has been no net global warming since 1998.' Indeed, the more recent numbers show that there is now evidence of significant cooling [...] Mankind is responsible for just a fraction of one percent of the…” quote by John R. Lott Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c6d/john-r-lott-jr-9603_causes_are-global-temperatures-rising-surely-th_1722920.jpg)
![“How reliable are the computer [climate] models on which possible future climates are based? Not very. All will agree that the task of modeling climate is vast, because of the estimates that have to be made and the rubbery quality of much of the data.” quote by Don Aitkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6c9/don-aitkin-58443_agree_how-reliable-are-the-computer-climate-mo_2504201.jpg)
