Scientists’ Views about Attribution of Global Warming

★

☆

SHARE

Overview

Paper Summary

Conflicts of Interest

Identified Weaknesses

Rating Explanation

Good to know

Topic Hierarchy

File Information

Paper Summary

Paperzilla title

Scientists Agree: Humans are Heating Things Up (Mostly)

A survey of 1868 scientists found that 90% of those with more than 10 climate-related publications agree that human-caused greenhouse gas emissions are the main driver of recent global warming. The study also suggests the phrasing in previous IPCC reports may have led to underestimations of the warming effect of greenhouse gasses. Scientists who downplayed the human role in climate change reported more media coverage.

Possible Conflicts of Interest

None identified

Identified Weaknesses

Self-reported data

The survey relies on self-reported data, which can be subject to biases. For example, respondents may overestimate their own expertise or publications.

Low response rate

The response rate of 29% is relatively low, raising concerns about the representativeness of the sample.

Ambiguous question phrasing

The phrasing of certain survey questions, particularly about quantifying the contribution of greenhouse gases, may have led to some confusion and underestimation.

Limited scope of sampled experts

While the survey includes a large number of scientists, it focuses on those who have published on climate change, potentially excluding other relevant experts.

Rating Explanation

This survey represents a substantial effort to assess the views of a large and diverse group of scientists on climate change attribution. While limitations such as self-reported data and a moderate response rate exist, the findings are largely consistent with other research and provide valuable insights into the level of consensus within the scientific community. The survey's detailed exploration of different aspects of attribution and its attempt to understand the nuances of agreement and disagreement strengthen its contribution to the field.

Good to know

This is our free standard analysis. Paperzilla Pro fact-checks every citation, researches author backgrounds and funding sources, and uses advanced AI reasoning for more thorough insights.

Explore Pro →