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Scientization: putting global climate change on the scientific agenda and the role of the IPCC

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Poiesis & Praxis

Abstract

Since the 1970s, climate change has dominated the international scientific and political agenda. In particular, the foundation of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change at the end of the 1980s played a major role for the further enhancement of efforts in the field of climate change sciences. However, to understand the interaction of the worldwide coordination of climate change sciences as well as the role of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and its consequences, it is worthwhile to take a look at the self-conception of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s tasks and work. This paper gives an idea of the history of international climate change science, its representation in public discourse and the role of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change by comprehensively illustrating its tasks, organization and self-image. Furthermore, the article tries to argue that the hitherto accepted concept of science followed within this body fails to integrate the idea of scientific ethics. It can be concluded that the conception of science represented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has heavily influenced worldwide attention to climate change, its becoming part of the political agenda as well as the ethical consequences.

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Notes

  1. Obviously, there are some discussions about the date of the first mention as explained by Connolley (2010).

  2. The finding that radiation reflected by the earth surface is partly absorbed depending on the trace quantities within the atmosphere. The original wording is: ‘‘The solar heat possesses the power of crossing an atmosphere but when the heat is absorbed by the planet, it is so changed in quality that the rays emanating from the planet cannot get with the same freedom back into space. Thus, the atmosphere admits the entrance of the solar heat but checks its exit, and the result is a tendency to accumulate heat at the surface of the planet.” (Tyndall cited after Graßl 2009b:5).

  3. Strictly speaking, Arrhenius has worked inversely with the definition and he rather feared a further ice age.

  4. Together with a group of scientists (for more information about this research process, see Weart 2009).

  5. By dissolution in seawater after a chemical reaction.

  6. Organized by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

  7. However, this estimation was obviously far too optimistic.

  8. Which took place after the First Assessment Report of the IPCC, see below.

  9. Emphasis made by the author.

  10. All information collected has to be published and/or peer-reviewed in principle; however, also so-called grey literature is allowed as local knowledge consisting of non-published research from developing countries Dahan-Dalmedico (2008: 75). Due to the current debate on the mistakes within the IPCC reporting system, this aspect is reassessed (FAZ 2010).

  11. This is quite interesting considering that the founding organizations UNEP and WMO are organizations working in the field of natural sciences.

  12. A second aspect is the concept of science represented by the IPCC’s work, see below.

  13. “AR4 is the most comprehensive synthesis of climate change science to date. Experts from more than 130 countries contributed to this assessment, which represents 6 years of work. More than 450 lead authors have received input from more than 800 contributing authors, and an additional 2,500 experts reviewed the draft documents.” (UCSUSA 2007).

  14. That is with more than a 90% probability according to the AR4.

  15. Author's translation.

  16. Author's translation.

  17. As Luhmann points out, there is even a chapter in Bolin's book headed ‘possible climate change’ although the IPCC's work had shown a probability of more than 90% regarding the anthropogenic character of climate change Luhmann (2009b:38–39).

  18. See also Luhmann (2008b:167) for this argument.

  19. An Argentinian diplomat who was the later chairman of the World Climate Summit during the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997.

  20. That is, experimental reproduction etc.

  21. That is, using peer-reviewed publications etc.

  22. As well as the lack of an explicit mandate is declared.

  23. It may not be concealed that this view is not always followed and sometimes it is also mentioned that “dogmatic predictions regarding the Earth's future, are unreliable and can be politically counter-productive.” (Greeuw et al. 2000:7). However, most publications refer to the other view of scientific influence.

  24. The organization acts as a kind of supervisor for the international scientific landscape. It was for example involved as adviser at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1992 and the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in 2002.

  25. And an additional body as asked for by Evans et.al. (2009) would not be necessary if the IPCC would accept its scientific responsibility.

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Acknowledgments

This essay has been written as a result of a seminar chaired by PD Dr. Hans-Günther Brauch and held at the Free University of Berlin in November 2009 under the title “Climate Change Impacts: Securitization of Water, Food, Soil, Health, Energy and Migration”. Brauch and some seminar participants gave valuable comments on my work during the presentation of the results. Linus Mattauch and Stephan Richter-Bernburg helped me with language issues. Besides, my colleague Dr. Jochen Luhmann has provided an abundant pool of material and sacrificed much time to discuss this project.

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  1. Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, Research Group “Future Energy and Mobility Structures”, Doeppersberg 19, 42103, Wuppertal, Germany

    Sarina Keller

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Keller, S. Scientization: putting global climate change on the scientific agenda and the role of the IPCC. Poiesis Prax 7, 197–209 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10202-010-0083-5

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