Thread by @leahstokes

In today’s @nytopinion Sunday Review, an article blames climate scientists for inaction on climate. While I’m sure the writer and editors had good intentions, this is wildly unfair and problematic. Time for another edition of Stokes does amateur media criticism in a THREAD!🧵

@nytopinion The article claims that the "costs of underestimation have been enormous.”

Let me fix that typo the editors missed: "The costs of INACTION have been enormous."

Last I checked, scientists don’t set policy. They are not to blame for our governments’ complete irresponsibility.

@nytopinion Scientists are also not responsible for the 30+ years of fossil fuel funded denial, which influenced politicians, the media and the public. Here’s a summary I recently wrote of one of my favorite papers on that (written by a, spoiler alert: scientist!) phenomenalworld.org/miscellaneous/…

@nytopinion I feel like a broken record here, but has @nytopinion never read the work of @NaomiOreskes, @ErikMConway, @GeoffreySupran, @J_Farrell or @RBrulle on climate denial?

It appears they have not… But you can! Check out what #ExxonKnew.
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.108…

@nytopinion @NaomiOreskes @ErikMConway @GeoffreySupran @J_Farrell @RBrulle We know the IPCC has underestimated risks because of the processes they use, such as requiring peer review. It’s an intergovernmental process of scientists around the world! It ain't simple! Sure it could be better.

But also, did you see the 1.5 °C report? Pretty effective.

@nytopinion @NaomiOreskes @ErikMConway @GeoffreySupran @J_Farrell @RBrulle Also: we know about the IPCC underestimation BECAUSE SCIENTISTS STUDIED IT. There are so many papers that show this. Here are a bunch.

So maybe, umm, scientists are... not the problem?
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.102…
science.sciencemag.org/content/293/55…
sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

@nytopinion @NaomiOreskes @ErikMConway @GeoffreySupran @J_Farrell @RBrulle Finally, the article concludes with some great data from @YaleClimateComm which shows that only 17% of Americans correctly perceive the scientific consensus on climate change.

But it also implies this is the fault of… scientists?

Yeah, NO.

@nytopinion @NaomiOreskes @ErikMConway @GeoffreySupran @J_Farrell @RBrulle @YaleClimateComm Again: the reason why people do not understand the scientific consensus is because the fossil fuel industry has spent billions on a 30+ year campaign of climate denial and delay. Just the 5 largest oil companies are still spending $200 million a year!
theguardian.com/business/2019/…

@nytopinion @NaomiOreskes @ErikMConway @GeoffreySupran @J_Farrell @RBrulle @YaleClimateComm Dear @nytopinion:

It’s wrong to publish an article that lays the blame at climate scientists' feet, while letting fossil fuel companies and politicians off the hook. This is inaccurate and unhelpful. Please: DO BETTER.

Sincerely, All living beings
nytimes.com/2019/11/08/opi…