Top Climate Change-Denying Argument Debunked

The web's best climate denial-debunker, Peter Sinclair, is back with another fine video. This one tackles the popular skeptic claim that there have been observed periods in the Earth's history wherein global temperatures rose first and CO2 levels followed suit. So, the skeptics say, if greenhouse gas emissions are supposed to cause temps to rise, why would it get hotter before we see higher concentrations of CO2? Hm? The answer is that skeptics have -- as they often do -- selectively cherry-picked data to "prove" their case. The more complete answer involves a fascinating exploration of Milankovitch cycles, past ice ages, and factors that amplify minor changes in global temperature.

As Sinclair himself describes it, "For a lot of climate deniers, this is their penultimate argument, the master climate crock. They think it's the stroke to end all arguments. It's only the most outrageous and dishonest cherry pick of all time."

It is worth noting that there are indeed some supremely dishonest tactics at the root of many of the primary skeptical arguments against climate change. Good thing we have folks like Sinclair to root them out.