Climate Science and COVID-19: Some Similarities

Environmental & Science Education
STEM
Climate Change
Earth Systems
Earth Science
Sustainability
Edward Hessler

Benjamin Santer is an atmospheric scientist and a member of the Academy of Sciences, a select group of scientists, limited in membeaship. It is a very prestigious acknowlegment of his contributions to science.

The Wiki entry on Dr. Santer points out that, "on February 25, 2019 Santer et al. published the paper Celebrating the anniversary of three key events in climate change science in Nature Climate Change claiming to have reached the 5-sigma "gold standard level" of statistical proof of human influence in global climate change using three sets of satellite data." This is the direct quote.

Instead of "proof," I'd have used evidence but I'm not a member of NAS or a real scientist! 

Here is a short explanation of 5 sigma. 

Santer also writes a blog for Scientific American. This one, I think, is required reading. It is titled "How COVID-19 Is Like Climate Change." It is a powerful essay. You are likely to recall Swedish activist Greta Thunberg's one-liner: "Listen to the Science." And when you don't there are grim consequences. Climate science is based on well-established science as is how to respond to pandemics.


h/t Mark Seeley