The Formulation and Presentation of a Statement on Climate Change for Oklahoma

The Formulation and Presentation of a Statement on Climate Change for Oklahoma

Gary McManusGary McManusAssistant State ClimatologistAssistant State Climatologist

Gary McManusGary McManusAssistant State ClimatologistAssistant State Climatologist

Or…How To Take A Chance On Career Suicide

Or…How To Take A Chance On Career Suicide

A little background A little background

OCS has four climatologists on staff:

•Dr. Ken Crawford, State Climatologist and Director of OCS

•Dr. Mark Shafer, Director of Climate Services

•Deke Arndt, Associate State Climatologist

•Gary McManus, Assistant State Climatologist

“First we were afraid, we were petrified…” “First we were afraid, we were petrified…”

When faced with questions about climate change…When faced with questions about climate change…

Why the fear?Why the fear?

Introducing Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe!Introducing Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe!

“I called the threat of catastrophic global

warming the ‘greatest hoax ever perpetrated

on the American people’.”

It gets better…other gems from Senator InhofeIt gets better…other gems from Senator Inhofe

•Compared environmentalists to Nazis

oClimate change science = the Big Lie

•Compared the EPA to the Gestapo

•Compared “An Inconvenient Truth” to “Mein Kampf”

•Claimed global warming was a hoax perpetrated by The Weather Channel for bigger ratings

Senator Inhofe was re-elected by a 14 point margin in 2002

Senator Inhofe was re-elected by a 14 point margin in 2002

•More and more requests for information – public, media and other state agencies

•It’s why our office was created

oOCS has a legislative mandate to: “...acquire, archive, process, and disseminate ... all climate and weather information which is or could be of value to policy and decision makers in the state."

•The worry of non-scientists getting the first crack at educating our citizens and decision-makers

•Frankly, we didn’t want to get left in the dust (pardon the pun) – the chance for a collaboration with Oklahoma Water Resources Board and the state’s water plan paved the way

Why produce a statement?Why produce a statement?

In case of GOVERNOR Inhofe...In case of GOVERNOR Inhofe...

“I, Gary McManus, disavow any knowledge of any climate change statement prepared or released by the Oklahoma Climatological Survey. “

Production of the statementProduction of the statement

•Based on the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC

•One sheet, front and back (easily readable)

•Concentrate on the scientific basis

•Edited by scientists at OCS

•Edited and “bullet-proofed” by IPCC author Dr. David Karoly – an IPCC lead author

•Stay away from mitigation (for now)

•No alarming statements

•First in a series – collaborations to come

CollaborationsCollaborations

•OWRB

•Oklahoma Corporation Commission

•Oklahoma Department of Forestry

•Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts

•Governor’s Office

•Oklahoma Insurance Department

After dozens and dozens of talks, experiences have been mostly good

After dozens and dozens of talks, experiences have been mostly good

•My first time out, National Conversation on Climate Change sponsored by Yale, at Tulsa U. Law School:

oThe mayor of Tulsa, a climatologist and a woman in a polar bear suit walked into the University of Tulsa's College of Law on Friday afternoon…” -- Tulsa World (OK) - October 6, 2007.

•My last talk to the Oklahoma Association of Aerial Sprayers:

o“You people make me sick!”

Set apart what we want to emphasize

Once again, set apart to emphasize…this time impacts for Oklahoma

Brazenly stolen from a Manitoba document

You can find our climate change statement at:

http://climate.ok.gov/

Thank you!

You can find our climate change statement at:

http://climate.ok.gov/

Thank you!