date: Thu, 6 Jan 2005 13:15:13 -0500
from: "Dennis, Kate" <kdennis@nrdc.org>
subject: Senator Inhofe's climate change speech
to: <k.briffa@uea.ac.uk>

   Hi Keith,



   You may not remember me, but I took your Climate Change course last Spring. I'm now working
   for the Climate Center at the Natural Resources Defense Council in Washington, DC. On Jan
   4th, Senator Inhofe (a climate change skeptic) spoke to the US Senate and quoted you and
   Tim Osborn from a commentary on von Storch's 2004 paper in Science (I'm attaching the
   transcript of the speech so that you can take a look at the context...you are quoted on
   page 3-4.) I was wondering what your opinion was regarding the context of the quote?



   Am I not correct in thinking that although there is uncertainty regarding natural
   variability of climate over the past millenium that the warming viewed in both Mann's curve
   and your (and other member's of CRU) reconstructions still illustrates that warming over
   the past 150 years is unprecendented and a cause for concern? You and others have analysed
   the MWP and LIA and continue to conclude that the recent warming is unprecedented? What
   about verification by AOGCMs that illustrate reconstructions are most successfully modelled
   by GHG forcing and natural climate variability (solar and volcanic forcing)? If I remember
   correctly Stott et al wrote a good paper on this and also your volcanic reconstruction
   paper that was so lovingly referred to in the 2004 Climate Change exam! (I can't remember
   the exact references of the top of my head.)



   Anyway, I would be interested in your comments about Inhofe's speech? If you feel strongly
   about it I wonder if you might like to write a short rebuttal? Please let me know if you do
   as some Climate Center staff may be able to help in terms of visibility in Washington.



   Thanks,

   I hope all is well at UEA!!



   Kate



   Kate Dennis
   Climate Center
   Natural Resources Defense Council
   1200 New York Ave. NW, Suite 400
   Washington, DC 20005

   E-mail: kdennis@nrdc.org
   Tel: (202) 513 6250 Ext. # 2250

   Attachment Converted: "c:\eudora\attach\Inhofe_warming_speech1.doc"
