Regrettably, but unsurprisingly, it was reported today that 2023 smashed the record for world’s hottest year by huge margin.

Today The Guardian also published some extraordinary and very significant remarks made by Prof James Hansen which I encapsulated in the graphic displayed below. Hansen made these remarkable statements when he was questioned about his recent assertions that we will surpass the 1.5°C threshold of global warming in 2024.

For something like 20 years (at least) I have been making similar arguments about the IPCC – that its projections were too conservative, and thus misleading. Many people who have known me for a long time can attest to this. I have also made many statements to this effect publicly via social media. So, being vindicated is an important but bittersweet milestone for me personally.

Today, when sharing the graphic below, I included with the following preamble:

“These statements by Prof James Hansen finally vindicate what a few of us (myself included) have been adamantly proclaiming for many, many years. The significance of this cannot be overstated. The IPCC has been widely considered to be the definitive source for “credible” data and guidance on this urgently important topic of global concern.”

Text version of this graphic:

Prof James Hansen:

“the 1.5C global warming ceiling has been passed for all practical purposes… Passing through the 1.5C world is a significant milestone because it shows that the story being told by the United Nations, with the acquiescence of its scientific advisory body, the IPCC, is a load of bullshit”

– Prof James Hansen

Source:
Global heating will pass 1.5C threshold this year, top ex-Nasa scientist says (Jan 8, 2024)

Graphic: John Irving • AquarianDiary.com