Sunspot Spat

Leading climate change scientists have trounced studies claiming global warming is a natural phenomenon connected with sunspots rather than man-made emissions. “The researchers – all experts in climate or solar science – have told The Independent that the scientific evidence continually cited by sceptics to promote the idea of sunspots being the cause of global warming is deeply flawed. Studies published in 1991 and 1998 claimed to establish a link between global temperatures and solar activity – sunspots – and continue to be cited by climate sceptics, including those who attended an ‘alternative’ climate conference in Copenhagen last week. However, problems with the data used to establish the correlation have been identified by other experts and the flaws are now widely accepted by the scientific community, even though the studies continue to be used to support the idea that global warming is ‘natural’.”