date: Thu, 6 Jan 2005 13:15:13 -0500 from: "Dennis, Kate" subject: Senator Inhofe's climate change speech to: Hi Keith, You may not remember me, but I took your Climate Change course last Spring. I'm now working for the Climate Center at the Natural Resources Defense Council in Washington, DC. On Jan 4th, Senator Inhofe (a climate change skeptic) spoke to the US Senate and quoted you and Tim Osborn from a commentary on von Storch's 2004 paper in Science (I'm attaching the transcript of the speech so that you can take a look at the context...you are quoted on page 3-4.) I was wondering what your opinion was regarding the context of the quote? Am I not correct in thinking that although there is uncertainty regarding natural variability of climate over the past millenium that the warming viewed in both Mann's curve and your (and other member's of CRU) reconstructions still illustrates that warming over the past 150 years is unprecendented and a cause for concern? You and others have analysed the MWP and LIA and continue to conclude that the recent warming is unprecedented? What about verification by AOGCMs that illustrate reconstructions are most successfully modelled by GHG forcing and natural climate variability (solar and volcanic forcing)? If I remember correctly Stott et al wrote a good paper on this and also your volcanic reconstruction paper that was so lovingly referred to in the 2004 Climate Change exam! (I can't remember the exact references of the top of my head.) Anyway, I would be interested in your comments about Inhofe's speech? If you feel strongly about it I wonder if you might like to write a short rebuttal? Please let me know if you do as some Climate Center staff may be able to help in terms of visibility in Washington. Thanks, I hope all is well at UEA!! Kate Kate Dennis Climate Center Natural Resources Defense Council 1200 New York Ave. NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20005 E-mail: kdennis@nrdc.org Tel: (202) 513 6250 Ext. # 2250 Attachment Converted: "c:\eudora\attach\Inhofe_warming_speech1.doc"