While I fluctuate between believer and skeptic on global warming, one of the most obvious reasons to be a skeptic is when people tell you “it’s settled” and that debate should be stopped. Stopping debate is foreign to science, and people who proclaim that debate should be stopped are usually speaking in a political rather than scientific sense.

Real Climate has a fascinating article on the over-statement of Tim Flannery, an author who claims an upcoming report will show we are “10 years ahead of schedule” on “equivalent CO2″ in the atmosphere. What follows on that page is a technical explanation of the two methods of calculation for “equivalent CO2″ – explained as a formula to boost the CO2 in calculations to account for other greenhouse gasses, thereby avoiding having to include dozens of gasses in the calculation itself. I’ll readily admit the technical explanations are handy, but I know I won’t remember the details once I move away from the page. The responses to the blog entry are more illuminating as the author of the blog responds to questions.

Real Climate is a great resource for those of us who are more interested in scientific truth than climate politics, and it excels in its stated mission to communicate climate science from climate scientists. Because the articles take on exaggerations of the dangers of climate change as well as the claims of skeptics, the blog has an air of authenticity, and you get the feeling that they too are interested more in truth than in politics.

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