query: There’s no trend in hurricane-related flooding in the U.S.

positive: North Carolina North Carolina ( -LSB- nɔrθ_kærəˈlaɪnə -RSB- ) is a state in the southeastern region of the United States . The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south , Tennessee to the west , Virginia to the north , and the Atlantic Ocean to the east . North Carolina is the 28th most extensive and the 9th most populous of the U.S. states . The state is divided into 100 counties . The capital is Raleigh . The most populous municipality is Charlotte , which is the second largest banking center in the United States after New York City .   The state has a wide range of elevations , from sea level on the coast to 6684 ft at Mount Mitchell , the highest point in North America east of the Mississippi River . The climate of the coastal plains is strongly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean . Most of the state falls in the humid subtropical climate zone . More than 300 mi from the coast , the western , mountainous part of the state has a subtropical highland climate .

positive: Hurricane Agnes Hurricane Agnes was , at the time , the costliest hurricane to hit the United States in recorded history . The second tropical cyclone and first named storm of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season , Agnes developed on June 14 from the interaction of a polar front and an upper trough over the Yucatán Peninsula . Initially forming as a tropical depression , the storm headed slowly eastward and emerged into the western Caribbean Sea on June 15 . Once in the Caribbean , the depression began to strengthen , and by the following day , it became Tropical Storm Agnes . Thereafter , Agnes slowly curved northward and passed just west of Cuba on June 17 . Early on June 18 , the storm intensified enough to be upgraded to Hurricane Agnes . Heading northward , the hurricane eventually made landfall near Panama City , Florida late on June 19 . After moving inland , Agnes rapidly weakened and was only a tropical depression when it entered Georgia . The weakening trend halted as the storm crossed over Georgia and into South Carolina . While over eastern North Carolina , Agnes re-strengthened into a tropical storm on June 21 , as a result of baroclinic activity . Early the following day , the storm emerged into the Atlantic Ocean before re-curving northwestward and making landfall near New York City as a strong tropical storm . Agnes quickly became an extratropical cyclone on June 23 , and tracked to the northwest of Great Britain before becoming absorbed by another cyclone on July 6 .   Though it moved slowly across the Yucatán Peninsula , damage in Mexico is unknown . Although the storm bypassed the tip of Cuba , heavy rainfall occurred , killing seven people . In Florida , Agnes caused a significant tornado outbreak , with at least 26 confirmed twisters , two of which were spawned in Georgia . The tornadoes and two initially unconfirmed tornadoes in Florida alone resulted in over $ 4.5 million ( 1972 USD ) in damage and six fatalities . At least 2,082 structures in Florida suffered either major damage or were destroyed . About 1,355 other dwellings experienced minor losses . Though Agnes made landfall as a hurricane , no hurricane-force winds were reported . Along the coast abnormally high tides resulted in extensive damage , especially between Apalachicola and Cedar Key . Light to moderate rainfall was reported in Florida , though no significant flooding occurred . In Georgia , damage was limited to two tornadoes , which caused approximately $ 275,000 in losses . Minimal effects were also recorded in Alabama , Connecticut , Delaware , Rhode Island , South Carolina , and Tennessee ; though one fatality was reported in Delaware . The most significant effects , by far , occurred in Pennsylvania , mostly due to intense flooding . The hurricane severely flooded the Susquehanna River and the Lackawanna River causing major damage to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area . In both Pennsylvania and New Jersey combined , about 43,594 structures were either destroyed or significantly damaged . In Canada , a mobile home was toppled , killing two people . Overall , Agnes caused 128 fatalities and nearly $ 3 billion in damage , though more recently , it is estimated that there were $ 2.1 billion in losses associated with the storm . Due to the significant effects , the name Agnes was retired in the spring of 1973 .

positive: 2008 Atlantic hurricane season The 2008 Atlantic hurricane season was a very active hurricane season with sixteen named storms formed , including eight that became hurricanes and five that became major hurricanes . The season officially started on June 1 and ended on November 30 . These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin . However , the formation of Tropical Storm Arthur caused the season to start two days early . This season is the fourth most costly on record , behind only the 2004 , 2005 and 2012 seasons , with over $ 47.5 billion in damage ( 2008 USD ) . It was the fourth busiest year since 1944 and the only year on record in which a major hurricane existed in every month from July through November in the North Atlantic . Bertha became the longest lived July tropical cyclone on record for the basin , the first of several long-lived systems during 2008 . The season was devastating for Haiti , where over 800 people were killed by four consecutive tropical cyclones ( Fay , Gustav , Hanna , and Ike ) , especially Hanna , in August and September . Hurricane Paloma 's outer rain bands also made landfall over Haiti . Ike was also the most destructive storm of the season , as well as the strongest , devastating Cuba as a major hurricane and later making landfall near Galveston , Texas at Category 2 ( nearly Category 3 ) intensity .   One very unusual feat was a streak of tropical cyclones affecting land . All but one system impacted land in 2008 . The unprecedented number of storms with impact led to one of the deadliest and destructive seasons in the history of the Atlantic basin , especially with Hurricane Ike , as its overall damages made it the third costliest hurricane in the Atlantic .

positive: Atlantic hurricane An Atlantic hurricane or tropical storm is a tropical cyclone that forms in the Atlantic Ocean , usually in the summer or fall . A hurricane differs from a cyclone or typhoon only on the basis of location . A hurricane is a storm that occurs in the Atlantic Ocean and northeastern Pacific Ocean , a typhoon occurs in the northwestern Pacific Ocean , and a cyclone occurs in the south Pacific or Indian Ocean .   Tropical cyclones can be categorized by intensity . Tropical storms have one-minute maximum sustained winds of at least 39 mph ( 34 knots , 17 m/s , 63 km/h ) , while hurricanes have one-minute maximum sustained winds exceeding 74 mph ( 64 knots , 33 m/s , 119 km/h ) . Most North Atlantic tropical storms and hurricanes form between June 1 and November 30 . The United States National Hurricane Center monitors the basin and issues reports , watches , and warnings about tropical weather systems for the North Atlantic Basin as one of the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centers for tropical cyclones , as defined by the World Meteorological Organization .   In recent times , tropical disturbances that reach tropical storm intensity are named from a predetermined list . Hurricanes that result in significant damage or casualties may have their names retired from the list at the request of the affected nations in order to prevent confusion should a subsequent storm be given the same name . On average , in the North Atlantic basin ( from 1966 to 2009 ) 11.3 named storms occur each season , with an average of 6.2 becoming hurricanes and 2.3 becoming major hurricanes ( Category 3 or greater ) . The climatological peak of activity is around September 11 each season .   In March 2004 , Catarina was the first hurricane-intensity tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Southern Atlantic Ocean . Since 2011 , the Brazilian Navy Hydrographic Center has started to use the same scale of the North Atlantic Ocean for tropical cyclones in the South Atlantic Ocean and assign names to those which reach 35 kn .

negative: List of Toronto parks The following is a list of the parks in the city of Toronto , Ontario , Canada . The appearance of Toronto 's ravines was altered by floods caused by Hurricane Hazel in October 1954 and many of Toronto 's parks were established in the resulting floodplain .

negative: Rigsby sisters Kerri Rigsby and Cori Rigsby are the whistle-blowers who proved to a Mississippi jury that State Farm committed fraud against the United States Government . The sisters claim State Farm ignored or minimized wind damage to avoid payments relating to Hurricane Katrina ( 2005 ) . The jury verdict was upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and then was affirmed 8-0 by the United States Supreme Court . The Rigsbys were managers who worked in Gulfport , Mississippi for a subcontractor hired by State Farm to adjust wind and flood claims after Hurricane Katrina . They were the first to uncover a fraudulent scheme by State Farm to improperly categorize wind damage as flood damage . This mischaracterization was very important because State Farm had to pay for wind damage out of its own pocket under State Farm homeowner policies , while flood damage was paid by the federal government under FEMA 's flood policies . Their story went public when ABC 's 20/20 show aired it in August 2006 .   In 2013 , a federal jury in Gulfport found State Farm guilty of committing fraud against policyholders during Hurricane Katrina by forcing engineers to change their reports . The Rigsbys ' landmark win was historic because they were the first to prove that an insurance company defrauded the government in FEMA 's National Flood Insurance Program .

negative: Hurricane Joan–Miriam Hurricane Joan was a powerful hurricane that caused death and destruction in over a dozen countries in the Caribbean and Central America . Moving on a due west course for nearly two weeks in October 1988 , Hurricane Joan caused widespread flooding and over 200 deaths after moving into Central America . Widespread suffering and economic crises were exacerbated by Joan , primarily across Nicaragua , as heavy rains and high winds impacted those near the hurricane 's path .   After crossing Central America into the Pacific , the cyclone was renamed Tropical Storm Miriam , with the system 's dissipation occurring southwest of Mexico . Joan -- Miriam was the final hurricane of the 1988 Atlantic hurricane season and the final named storm of the Pacific hurricane season .

negative: Meteorological disasters Meteorological disasters are caused by extreme weather , e.g. rain , drought , snow , extreme heat or cold , ice , or wind . Violent , sudden and destructive change to the environment related to , produced by , or affecting the earth 's atmosphere , especially the weather-forming processes .   Examples of weather disasters include blizzard , cyclones , droughts , hailstorms , heat waves , hurricanes , floods ( caused by rain ) , and tornadoes .

negative: Hurricane Julia Hurricane Julia was the easternmost Category 4 hurricane recorded in the Atlantic basin since reliable satellite observations became available . The twelfth tropical cyclone , fifth hurricane and fourth major hurricane of the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season , Julia rapidly developed on September 12 from a tropical wave near Cape Verde . Passing near the islands , the system quickly organized into Tropical Storm Julia the next day . On September 14 , Julia attained hurricane status and subsequently entered a trend of rapid intensification ; the storm strengthened from a minimal hurricane to a low-end Category 4 in only 24 hours . After peaking in intensity , further development was impeded as interaction with nearby Hurricane Igor began to occur ; the storm was downgraded to a tropical storm by September 18 . It subsequently moved into a region of unfavorable conditions , heading toward lower sea surface temperatures . Correspondingly , Julia entered an extratropical transition on September 20 , and advisories on the storm were discontinued by that time .   As Julia never posed any significant threat to land , damage related to the storm was minimal . Trace amounts of rain reportedly fell across the Cape Verde islands , causing locally light flooding and minor inconveniences . Gusts battering the territory peaked at 30 mph ( 48 km/h ) , resulting in some wind damage to crops . In addition , these winds produced rough sea conditions , and high waves posed few threats along coastlines .

negative: Morrisville, Newfoundland and Labrador Morrisville is a town in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador . The town had a population of 128 in the Canada 2006 Census .   In October 2016 , the town , along with a few others in Atlantic Canada was devastated from flooding related to Hurricane Matthew .

negative: Hurricane Hilda (1955) Hurricane Hilda was a strong Category 3 hurricane that was the second in a succession of three hurricanes to strike near Tampico , Mexico . The eighth named storm of the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season , Hilda formed from a tropical wave on September 10 near the Lesser Antilles . It quickly intensified while moving westward into a small hurricane , and it crossed over southeastern Cuba on September 13 . There , it dropped heavy rainfall and produced gusty winds that destroyed 80 % of the coffee crop in Oriente Province . In the eastern Cuban city of Baracoa , Hilda severely damaged the oldest church in the country . Damage totaled $ 2 million in Cuba , and there were four deaths . Later , the hurricane moved across the Caribbean Sea , causing light damage in the sparsely populated region of the eastern Yucatán Peninsula .   After reaching the Gulf of Mexico , Hilda strengthened to reach peak winds of 125 mph ( 205 km/h ) late on September 18 . Before the hurricane moved ashore , there was residual flooding in Tampico from earlier Hurricane Gladys . Hilda struck the city early on September 19 , with gusts estimated at 150 mph . It dropped heavy rainfall that flooded 90 % of Tampico , while its strong winds damaged half of the homes , leaving 15,000 homeless . The storm killed 300 people and caused over $ 120 million ( 1955 USD ) in Mexico . Ongoing flooding caused an outbreak of dysentery , and about 10 days after Hilda struck , Hurricane Janet struck the same region and caused further flooding and damage . Collectively , the damage from the storms represented about half of Mexico 's budget in 1955 .

negative: Stanley B. Goldenberg Stanley B. Goldenberg is a meteorologist with NOAA/AOML 's Hurricane Research Division in Miami ( Virginia Key ) , Florida .   Goldenberg received his associate degree from Miami Dade College and a bachelor 's degree in 1978 and a master 's degree in 1980 both in meteorology from Florida State University . One of his main graduate advisors was James O'Brien , one of the world 's leading experts on El Niño .   Goldenberg has specialized in climate studies and hurricanes . Stan 's hurricane-related research has included developing and implementing significant improvements to one of the earlier numerical hurricane-track prediction models used by the National Hurricane Center and more recently , examining the various climatic factors which influence the variability of hurricane activity in the Atlantic from intraseasonal to multidecadal time scales . He has done extensive research into the physical mechanisms responsible for the connection between El Niño and Atlantic hurricane activity . He was the first author of the research report published in Science establishing the fact that the Atlantic hurricane basin has entered a multidecadal-scale era of greatly increased hurricane activity . The paper concluded that the increase in hurricane activity was due to natural climate fluctuations rather than from any long-term temperature trends ( which some attribute to anthropogenic global warming ) . ( This paper was recognized with the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research Outstanding Scientific Paper Award . ) He is one of the lead authors of NOAA 's Seasonal Hurricane Outlooks for the Atlantic basin and was a co-recipient of NOAA 's Bronze Medal for that work . Mr. Goldenberg has participated in numerous research flights into and around hurricanes on NOAA 's WP-3D and Gulfstream IV aircraft , including flights into Hurricane Katrina ( 2005 ) as it made landfall on the Louisiana/Mississippi coast .   Goldenberg 's interest and experience in hurricane disaster preparedness was greatly increased when his South Florida home was destroyed as he and his family experienced the full force of Category 5 Hurricane Andrew in 1992 . His family 's personal experience , as well as his scientific expertise , have been featured in numerous TV specials such as Cyclone ! ( National Geographic/PBS ) , Storm Stories ( The Weather Channel ) and Savage Skies ( PBS ) . Goldenberg has published a number of scientific papers , is frequently interviewed by local , national and international media and has been a regular speaker at scientific , insurance , and hurricane preparedness conferences .   He has also been a research scientist at the University of Washington from 1986 -- 1989 and for a short time taught Mathematics and Science at a Messianic Jewish academy .

negative: 1896 East Coast hurricane The 1896 East Coast hurricane was a slow-moving tropical cyclone that battered the East Coast of the United States from Florida to New England in mid-October 1896 . The fifth tropical cyclone of the 1896 Atlantic hurricane season , it formed on October 7 in the southern Gulf of Mexico , and caused minor damage in Florida while crossing the state two days later . From October 10 through 13 , the hurricane drifted northeastward along the coast , reaching its peak intensity as the equivalence of a Category 2 hurricane on the modern-day Saffir -- Simpson scale . The hurricane subjected many areas along the East Coast to days of high seas and damaging northeasterly winds , which halted shipping operations .   The Mid-Atlantic coastline experienced flooding storm tides that submerged and heavily eroded Cobb 's Island , part of the Virginia Barrier Islands . Hotels and cottages there were extensively damaged , and the hurricane brought about the end of the island 's stint as a popular summer resort . Along the Jersey Shore , low-lying railroads were flooded , boardwalks were destroyed , and many beach houses sustained damage . The hurricane did $ 200,000 in damage to coastal installations on New York 's Coney Island . To the north , wind gusts as high as 80 mph affected eastern New England . Four sailors died in two maritime incidents attributed to the hurricane , and overall damage amounted to $ 500,000 .

negative: Atoyac River (Guerrero) The Atoyac River is a river of Mexico located in the federal district of Guerrero .   In 1992 's Hurricane Virgil , A flood on the Atoyac River washed away 500 homes in Guerrero , which prompted the evacuation of 2,500 people .

negative: Tropical Storm Dorothy Tropical Storm Dorothy was the deadliest tropical cyclone of the 1970 Atlantic hurricane season . The fourth named storm and fifth tropical storm or hurricane of the season , Dorothy developed on August 17 from a tropical wave to the east of the Lesser Antilles . It tracked west-northwestward throughout its entire duration , and despite forecasts of attaining hurricane status , Dorothy reached peak winds of 70 mph ( 110 km / ) -- slightly below hurricane status . The storm struck Martinique on August 20 , and subsequently began a gradual weakening trend in the Caribbean Sea . On August 23 , Dorothy dissipated south of Hispaniola .   Most significantly affected by the storm was Martinique , which received 26.8 in ( 680 mm ) of rainfall in a 24‑hour period . The rainfall caused flooding and mudslides , resulting in about $ 34 million in damage ( 1970 USD ) ; 186 homes were destroyed , and 700 people were left homeless . The flooding killed up to 50 people on the island . Elsewhere in the Lesser Antilles , the storm killed one person on Dominica from heavy rainfall , and in Guadeloupe heavy damage to the banana crop was reported .

negative: Hurricane Beth Hurricane Beth was a short-lived tropical cyclone which traveled from Florida to Nova Scotia in the middle of August 1971 . The second named storm of the 1971 Atlantic hurricane season , Beth 's genesis was impeded by a cold environment surrounding the storm . However , as it continued on its northeastward course , it achieved fully tropical characteristics and peaked as a modest Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir -- Simpson Hurricane Scale . The cyclone struck Nova Scotia on August 16 before dissipating shortly after . Beth produced substantial precipitation , and the resultant flooding inflicted severe damage to infrastructure and crops .

negative: Holden Hurricane The Holden Hurricane was a two-seat concept car built by Holden in 1969 . The Hurricane was one of the most advanced vehicles for its time , with Holden describing it as a research vehicle , allowing them `` to study design trends , propulsion systems and other long range developments '' .

negative: Hurricane Lily (1971) Hurricane Lily was a short-lived Category 1 hurricane of August 1971 that devastated the city of Puerto Vallarta in Mexico . Forming from an area of cloudiness associated with former Atlantic Tropical Storm Chloe , the storm slowly intensified , building to peak intensity just before landfall northwest of Manzanillo , Colima on August 31 . The hurricane quickly weakened and became extratropical . After leaving land , the extratropical remnants of Lily dissipated on September 1 . The storm 's movement close to land affected shipping due to the limited warning , which was partially set back due to difficulties in clarifying the hurricane 's position on radar from reconnaissance aircraft .   The hurricane was Puerto Vallarta 's worst in two decades and the second hurricane of the season to heavily impact Mexico after Hurricane Bridget . The storm caused the Cuale River to overflow its banks , inundating the downtown section of Puerto Vallarta with water that was up to 8 ft deep in some sections . The Mexican army flew in aid after trucks were blocked by flooded roads . The hurricane claimed three lives on the mainland and nine lives when a boat capsized .

negative: John J. Flood John Flood is a retired police officer , nationally-recognized police labor relations figure , and an authority on the La Cosa Nostra , organized crime and the Chicago Outfit . Mr. Flood resides in Las Vegas , Nevada and San Diego , California .   His professional career , spanning the second half of the 20th century , was in law enforcement within the United States . Mr. Flood is an associate of late FBI agent and author William Roemer . William Wemette , famous for his testimony against Chicago mob leader Joey Lombardo and mob enforcer Frankie Schweihs in organized crime trials and a longtime Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) informant is a confidante . Mr. Wemette was a major testifying witness in The Family Secrets prosecution overseen by U. S. District Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald .

negative: Flood of 1955 (Connecticut) The Flood of 1955 in Connecticut is one of the worst floods in Connecticut 's history . Two back-to-back hurricanes saturated the land and several river valleys in the state , causing severe flooding in August 1955 . The hardest hit were the Mad and Still Rivers in Winsted , the Naugatuck River , the Farmington River and the Quinebaug River . Towns that suffered much loss include Farmington , Putnam , Waterbury , and Winsted . Almost 90 people died during the flooding , and property damage across the state was estimated at more than $ 200 million , in 1955 figures . The floods prompted changes in safety measures , river monitoring and zoning laws .

negative: Volume–price trend Volume -- price trend ( VPT ) ( sometimes price -- volume trend ) is a technical analysis indicator intended to relate price and volume in the stock market . VPT is based on a running cumulative volume that adds or subtracts a multiple of the percentage change in share price trend and current volume , depending upon the investment 's upward or downward movements .

negative: Effects of Hurricane Dennis in Jamaica In early July 2005 , Hurricane Dennis brushed Jamaica , bringing torrential rain and damaging floods to the island nation . Forming from a tropical depression on July 4 , Dennis began impacting Jamaica three days later . Approximately 6,000 people evacuated from coastal and flood-prone areas prior to the storm 's arrival while relief agencies allocated resources for recovery operations . Passing northeast of the island , impact from Dennis stemmed primarily from rainfall -- accumulations peaked at 24.54 in and reached 1-in-50 year event levels . Widespread flooding and landslides damaged homes and isolated communities . Saint Thomas and Portland Parishes were hardest-hit ; hundreds required evacuation as multiple rivers burst their banks .   Overall , 209,000 people were affected with 6,000 households requesting assistance . A week after Dennis , Hurricane Emily brought further rain to the island , exacerbating damage . Their combined effects damaged or destroyed 440 homes with total losses reaching J$ 5.976 billion ( US$ 96.87 million ) , of which at least J$ 2.128 billion ( US$ 34.5 million ) can be attributed to Dennis alone . One person died due to flooding . Relief operations began before the hurricane subsided , and international communities provided further aid . The overall effects of Dennis were limited and the nation 's economy sustained no major ramifications .

negative: Hurricane Joaquin Hurricane Joaquin ( -LSB- xwaˈkin -RSB- ) was a powerful tropical cyclone that devastated several districts of the Bahamas and caused damage in the Turks and Caicos Islands , parts of the Greater Antilles , and Bermuda , as well as being the strongest hurricane of non-tropical origin in the satellite era . The tenth named storm , third hurricane , and second major hurricane of the 2015 Atlantic hurricane season , Joaquin evolved from a non-tropical low to become a tropical depression on September 28 , well southwest of Bermuda . Tempered by unfavorable wind shear , the depression drifted southwestward . After becoming a tropical storm the next day , Joaquin underwent rapid intensification , reaching hurricane status on September 30 and Category 4 major hurricane strength on October 1 . Meandering over the southern Bahamas , Joaquin 's eye passed near or over several islands . On October 3 , the hurricane weakened somewhat and accelerated to the northeast . Abrupt re-intensification ensued later that day , and Joaquin acquired sustained winds of 155 mph ( 250 km/h ) , just short of Category 5 strength ; this made it at the time the strongest Atlantic hurricane since 2010 's Igor , only to be surpassed by Hurricane Matthew a year later .   Hurricane warnings were hoisted across most of the Bahamas as the hurricane threatened the country . Battering the nation 's southern islands for over two days , Joaquin caused extensive devastation , most notably on Acklins , Crooked Island , Long Island , Rum Cay , and San Salvador Island . Severe storm surge inundated many communities , trapping hundreds of people in their homes ; flooding persisted for days after the hurricane 's departure . Prolonged , intense winds brought down trees and powerlines , and unroofed homes throughout the affected region . As airstrips were submerged and heavily damaged , relief workers were limited in their ability to quickly help residents affected by Joaquin , one of the strongest storms on record to affect the nation . Offshore , the American cargo ship El Faro and her 33 members were lost to the hurricane .   Coastal flooding also impacted the nearby Turks and Caicos , washing out roadways , compromising seawalls , and damaging homes . Strong winds and heavy rainfall caused some property damage in eastern Cuba . One fisherman died when heavy seas capsized a small boat along the coast of Haiti . Storm tides resulted in severe flooding in several of Haiti 's departments , forcing families from their homes and destroying crops . The weakening hurricane passed just west of Bermuda on October 4 , attended by strong winds that cut power to 15,000 electric subscribers but caused only minor damage otherwise . After passing near Bermuda , Joaquin ultimately curved northeastward and accelerated , weakening further and becoming extratropical as it entered colder waters .   Collectively , Joaquin killed 34 people and caused $ 200 million USD in damages . With all 34 deaths attributed to the storm occurring at sea , Joaquin has the highest offshore death toll for any Atlantic hurricane since the Escuminac hurricane in 1959 , which killed 35 people in the Northumberland Strait .   Although Joaquin never directly affected the United States , another large storm system over the southeastern states drew tremendous moisture from the hurricane , resulting in catastrophic flooding in South Carolina .

negative: 2005 Pacific hurricane season The 2005 Pacific hurricane season continued the trend of generally below-average activity that began a decade prior . The season officially began on May 15 in the eastern Pacific , and on June 1 in the central Pacific ; it lasted until November 30 in both basins . These dates conventionally delimit the period during each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northeastern Pacific Ocean . Activity began with the formation of Hurricane Adrian , the fourth-earliest-forming tropical storm on record in the basin at the time . Adrian led to flash flooding and several landslides across Central America , resulting in five deaths and $ 12 million ( 2005 USD ) in damage . Tropical storms Calvin and Dora caused minor damage along the coastline , while Tropical Storm Eugene led to one death in Acapulco . In early October , Otis produced tropical storm-force winds and minor flooding across the Baja California peninsula . The remnants of Tropical Depression One-C in the central Pacific , meanwhile , caused minor impacts in Hawaii . The strongest storm of the period was Hurricane Kenneth , which attained peak winds of 130 mph ( 215 km/h ) over the open Pacific . Cooler than average ocean temperatures throughout the year aided in below-average activity through the course of the season , which ended with 15 named storms , 7 hurricanes , 2 major hurricanes , and an Accumulated cyclone energy index of 75 units .

negative: Hurricane Waldo (1985) Hurricane Waldo was a Pacific hurricane that caused significant flooding in Kansas during October 1985 . After developing into a tropical depression on October 7 , it steadily intensified , becoming a tropical storm within a day . Waldo reached hurricane intensity on October 8 . After peaking as a moderate Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale , it re-curved to the east , making landfall at peak intensity near Culiacan . Afterward , it rapidly dissipated . In all , Waldo caused moderate damage in Sonora . The remnants of the storm combined with a cold front over the Great Plains . Significant flooding and one death was recorded in Kansas . Many rivers and creeks overflowed its banks .

negative: 2016 Atlantic hurricane season The 2016 Atlantic hurricane season was the first above average Atlantic hurricane season since 2012 , producing a total of 15 named storms , 7 hurricanes , and 4 major hurricanes . It was also the costliest season since 2012 , and was the deadliest since at least 2008 . The season officially started on June 1 and ended on November 30 , though the first storm , Hurricane Alex which formed in the Northeastern Atlantic , developed on January 12 , being the first hurricane to develop in January since 1938 . The final storm , Otto , crossed into the Eastern Pacific on November 25 , a few days before the official end . Following Alex , Tropical Storm Bonnie brought flooding to South Carolina and portions of North Carolina . Tropical Storm Colin in early June brought minor flooding and wind damage to parts of the Southeastern United States , especially Florida . Hurricane Earl left 94 fatalities in the Dominican Republic and Mexico , 81 of which occurred in the latter . In early September , Hurricane Hermine , the first hurricane to make landfall in Florida since Hurricane Wilma in 2005 , brought extensive coastal flooding damage especially to the Forgotten and Nature coasts of Florida . Hermine was responsible for five fatalities and about $ 550 million ( 2016 USD ) in damage .   The strongest , costliest , and deadliest storm of the season was Hurricane Matthew , the southernmost Category 5 Atlantic hurricane on record and the first to reach that intensity since Felix in 2007 . With at least 603 deaths attributed to it , Matthew was the deadliest Atlantic hurricane since Stan of 2005 . Furthermore , damage from Matthew is estimated to be at least $ 15.1 billion , making it the ninth costliest Atlantic hurricane on record . Hurricane Nicole became the first major hurricane to directly impact Bermuda since Hurricane Fabian in 2003 , leaving widespread but relatively minor damage on the island . The final tropical cyclone of the season -- Hurricane Otto -- brought severe flooding to Central America in November , particularly in Costa Rica and Nicaragua . Otto left 23 deaths and about $ 190 million in damage . On November 25 , the storm emerged into the Eastern Pacific basin , the first such occurrence since Hurricane Cesar -- Douglas in 1996 . Most of the season 's tropical cyclones impacted land , and nine of those storms caused loss of life . Collectively , the storms left at least 743 fatalities and $ 16.1 billion in damage .   Most forecasting groups predicted above average activity in anticipation of a dissipating El Niño event and the development of a La Niña , as well as warmer than normal sea surface temperatures . Overall , the forecasts were fairly accurate .   __ TOC __

negative: 1940 South Carolina hurricane The 1940 South Carolina hurricane was a Category 2 hurricane that struck the Georgia and South Carolina coast between August 11 and 12 , 1940 . After forming north of the Leeward Islands , the storm moved west-northwest , moving east of the Bahamas before resuming a west-northwest track towards the Southeastern United States . Hurricane warnings were in effect for the United States coastline near and north of where the center made landfall . A 13-foot storm tide was measured along the South Carolina coast , while over 15 in of rain fell across northern North Carolina . Significant flooding and landslides struck Georgia , North Carolina , Tennessee , and Virginia during the system 's slow trek as a weakening tropical storm , and then as an extratropical cyclone , through the Southeast . The landslides which struck North Carolina were considered a once in a century event . Damages relating to the storm totaled $ 13 million ( 1940 USD ) and 50 people perished .

negative: National Hurricane Research Project The National Hurricane Research Project ( NHRP ) was initiated in 1955 by the  United States Weather Bureau in response to the devastating 1954 hurricane season , which  saw Hurricane Carol , Hurricane Edna , and Hurricane Hazel bring destruction and  flooding to New England and the Mid-Atlantic states .  Robert Simpson , a Weather Bureau meteorologist who had  participated in Air Force hurricane reconnaissance flights as an observer , was appointed as  the first director of NHRP and organized the Research Operations Base at Morrison Air Force  Base ( now Palm Beach International Airport ) in West Palm Beach , FL in 1956 .   During the first three years of the Project , scientists used three specially  instrumented Air Force Hurricane Hunters aircraft with crews on bailment from the 55th  Weather Reconnaissance Squadron . They flew missions into Hurricane Greta ( 1956 ) ,  Hurricane Audrey ( 1957 ) ,  Hurricane Daisy ( 1958 ) ,  and Hurricane Helene ( 1958 ) in this initial period , collecting data which delineated the  structure and energy budget of hurricanes for the first time .   In 1959 , the Project was moved to Miami and collocated with the Miami hurricane forecast  office . Simpson left the Project to complete his doctoral degree and Robert Cecil Gentry  was appointed NHRP director . The Department of Commerce leased two DC-6 aircraft and  received a B-57 jet from the Air Force so that NHRP could continue to carry out airborne  experiments on hurricanes . The combination of research project , forecast center , and  aircraft facility was dubbed the `` National Hurricane Center '' ( NHC ) . This has caused  later confusion , since 1967 the NHC name has been used exclusively by the forecast center .  However the Project and Research Flight Facility ( RFF ) remained separate entities , with  their own personnel , budgets , and objectives .   During the 1960s , while NHRP continued to carry out research flights into  Hurricane Donna ( 1960 ) , Hurricane Cleo ( 1964 ) , and Hurricane Betsy ( 1965 ) , the  Project also began to create computer models of hurricane circulation , formulated a  statistical track program ( NHC-64 ) , wrote a manual on hurricane forecasting , and evaluate  the accuracy of track forecasts . Starting with Hurricane Esther ( 1961 ) , NHRP was  heavily involved with Project STORMFURY , the U. S. Government 's experiment in hurricane  modification . They seeded Hurricane Beulah in 1963 , but had to wait six more years before a  suitable candidate storm entered their operational area .   Late in 1964 , the Project was renamed the National Hurricane Research Laboratory in  recognition of it becoming a permanent institution within the Weather Bureau . This presaged  the creation of the Environmental Research Laboratories the next year .   Category : Tropical cyclones  Category : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

negative: Hoosier Hurricane Hoosier Hurricane is a wooden roller coaster at Indiana Beach in Monticello , Indiana . The ride was designed by Dennis McNulty and Larry Bill of Custom Coasters International . It opened on May 27 , 1994 , as the park 's largest wooden roller coaster and the first wooden roller coaster built in Indiana in fifty years . The ride was Custom Coasters International 's third roller coaster designed and the first modern wooden coaster built with a steel support structure , which would eventually become a trend on many wooden coasters designed by them .   Hoosier Hurricane , like other coasters in the park , was ` shoehorned ' into the park . The ride hugs the shores of Lake Shafer , parallels most of the boardwalk , and suddenly turns near the Giant Gondola Wheel . Hurricane 's structure is shared with nearby Cornball Express for a small portion of the ride ( the S-turn before the drop ) .   Category : Roller coasters in Indiana  Category : Roller coasters introduced in 1994

negative: Hurricane Sandra (2015) Hurricane Sandra was the latest-forming major hurricane in the northeastern Pacific basin , the strongest November Pacific hurricane on record , and the record eleventh major hurricane of the 2015 season . Originating from a tropical wave , Sandra was first classified as a tropical depression on November 23 well south of Mexico . Environmental conditions , including high sea surface temperatures and low wind shear , were highly conducive to intensification and the storm quickly organized . A small central dense overcast developed atop the storm and Sandra reached hurricane status early on November 25 after the consolidation of an eye . Sandra reached its peak intensity as a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir -- Simpson hurricane wind scale with winds of 150 mph ( 240 km/h ) and a pressure of 934 mbar ( hPa ; 27.58 inHg ) early on November 26 . This made Sandra the strongest November hurricane on record in the Northeastern Pacific . Thereafter , increasing shear degraded the hurricane 's structure and weakening ensued . Rapid weakening took place on November 27 and Sandra 's circulation became devoid of convection as it diminished to a tropical storm that evening . The cyclone degenerated into a remnant low soon thereafter and ultimately dissipated just off the coast of Sinaloa , Mexico , on November 29 .   As the precursor to Sandra traversed Central America , it produced unseasonably heavy rainfall that triggered flooding and landslides . Four people died in various incidents related to the system : three in El Salvador and one in Honduras . Initially expecting a landfalling storm , officials in Northwestern Mexico prepared equipment for power outages , closed schools , and evacuated 180 residents . Sandra 's effects largely consisted of light to moderate rainfall ; some traffic accidents and landslides resulted from this , though the overall impacts were limited .

negative: List of Miami Hurricanes in the NFL The University of Miami 's football program has set multiple records in producing players who go on to play in the National Football League ( NFL ) , leading some to deem the University `` NFL U '' .

negative: Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was the costliest natural disaster and one of the five deadliest hurricanes in the history of the United States . The storm is currently ranked as the third most intense United States landfalling tropical cyclone , behind only the 1935 Labor Day hurricane and Hurricane Camille in 1969 . Overall , at least 1,245 people died in the hurricane and subsequent floods , making it the deadliest United States hurricane since the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane . Total property damage was estimated at $ 108 billion ( 2005 USD ) , roughly four times the damage wrought by Hurricane Andrew in 1992 in the United States .   The eleventh named storm and fifth hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season , Katrina originated over the Bahamas on August 23 from the interaction between a tropical wave and the remnants of Tropical Depression Ten . Early the following day , the new depression intensified into Tropical Storm Katrina . The cyclone headed generally westward toward Florida and strengthened into a hurricane only two hours before making landfall at Hallandale Beach and Aventura on August 25 . After very briefly weakening to a tropical storm , Katrina emerged into the Gulf of Mexico on August 26 and began to rapidly deepen . The storm strengthened to a Category 5 hurricane over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico , but weakened before making its second landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on August 29 in southeast Louisiana .   The storm caused severe destruction along the Gulf coast from central Florida to Texas , much of it due to the storm surge and levee failure . Severe property damage occurred in coastal areas , such as Mississippi beachfront towns ; over 90 percent of these were flooded . Boats and casino barges rammed buildings , pushing cars and houses inland ; water reached 6 - from the beach .   Over fifty breaches in New Orleans 's hurricane surge protection were the cause of the majority of the death and destruction during Katrina on August 29 , 2005 . Eventually 80 % of the city and large tracts of neighboring parishes became flooded , and the floodwaters lingered for weeks . According to a modeling exercise conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ( USACE ) , two-thirds of the deaths in Greater New Orleans were due to levee and floodwall failure . All of the major studies concluded that the USACE , the designers and builders of the levee system as mandated by the Flood Control Act of 1965 , is responsible . This is mainly due to a decision to use shorter steel sheet pilings in an effort to save money . In January 2008 , Judge Stanwood Duval , U.S. District Court , ruled that despite the Corps ' role in the flooding , the agency could not be held financially liable because of sovereign immunity in the Flood Control Act of 1928 . Exactly ten years after Katrina , J. David Rogers , lead author of a new report in the official journal of the World Water Council concluded that the flooding during Katrina `` could have been prevented had the corps retained an external review board to double-check its flood-wall designs . ''   There was also an investigation of the responses from federal , state and local governments , resulting in the resignation of Federal Emergency Management Agency ( FEMA ) director Michael D. Brown , and of New Orleans Police Department ( NOPD ) Superintendent Eddie Compass . Many other government officials were criticized for their responses , especially New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin , Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco , and President George W. Bush . Several agencies including the United States Coast Guard ( USCG ) , National Hurricane Center ( NHC ) , and National Weather Service ( NWS ) were commended for their actions . They provided accurate hurricane weather tracking forecasts with sufficient lead time .

negative: Hurricane Ramon Hurricane Ramon was a very intense Pacific hurricane that generated heavy rains in Southern California . The 19th named storm and final hurricane of the above-average 1987 Pacific hurricane season , Ramon originated from a tropical disturbance that formed in early October . On October 5 , a tropical storm had developed several hundred miles southwest of Manzanillo , bypassing the tropical depression stage . Tropical Storm Ramon turned to the west-northwest after initially moving west . It intensified into a hurricane on October 7 . Two days later , Hurricane Ramon peaked in intensity with winds of 140 mph ( 220 km/h ) . After peaking , Ramon turned to the northwest and rapidly weakened over cooler waters . It weakened into a tropical storm on October 11 and a depression on October 12 . Ramon dissipated shortly thereafter . While at sea , Ramon brought light rainfall to the Baja California Peninsula . The remnants of Hurricane Ramon produced heavy rainfall that caused flooding in California , indirectly contributing to five traffic-related fatalities . Rainfall was reported as far inland as Utah .

negative: National Flood Forum The National Flood Forum is a British charity in Bewdley , Worcestershire dedicated to assisting individuals who have been affected by flooding and to guiding legislation related to flooding . The charity 's efforts include , among others , cohosting events to provide information and services to victims of flooding and conducting studies into the personal impact of flooding . It also gives out `` the Golden Sandbag Award '' to individuals who have provided exceptional service to victims of flooding .

negative: 1916 Gulf Coast hurricane The 1916 Gulf Coast hurricane was a destructive tropical cyclone that struck the central Gulf Coast of the United States in early July 1916 . It generated the highest storm surge on record in Mobile , Alabama , wrought widespread havoc on shipping , and dropped torrential rainfall peaking at more than 2 ft. The second tropical cyclone , first hurricane , and first major hurricane -- Category 3 or stronger on the modern-day Saffir -- Simpson scale -- of the highly active 1916 Atlantic hurricane season , the system originated in the southwestern Caribbean Sea on June 28 and moved generally toward the north-northwest . Crossing the Yucatán Channel on July 3 as a strengthening hurricane and brushing Cuba with gusty winds , the cyclone reached its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph ( 195 km/h ) prior to making landfall near Pascagoula , Mississippi , at 20:00 UTC on July 5 . Over land , the hurricane rapidly weakened to a tropical storm , but then retained much of its remaining strength as it meandered across interior Mississippi and Alabama for several days , its northward progress suppressed by a sprawling high pressure area to the north . It weakened into a tropical depression on June 9 and dissipated late the next day over southern Tennessee .   The United States Weather Bureau first took notice of the developing storm on July 2 , and tropical cyclone watches and warnings were posted for much of the central Gulf Coast on July 4 and 5 . Upon moving ashore , the cyclone produced sustained Category 3 winds over coastal Mississippi and Alabama , with the worst damage mainly confined to east of the storm 's center . An 11.6 ft storm surge in Mobile destroyed wharves and severely flooded the city 's business district , while many buildings were unroofed or otherwise damaged by the winds . Boats of all sizes in Mobile Bay were sunk or blown ashore , and despite efforts to prepare warehouses for the tidal flooding , $ 500,000 in merchandise was lost . Further east , Pensacola , Florida , endured several days of gale-force winds after the initial passage of the storm 's core ; though wind damage to homes , businesses , and trees was extensive , the worst damage resulted from storm tides along the immediate coast . Throughout the region , the hurricane severed telephone and telegraph communications . Numerous ships were lost in the Gulf of Mexico , some with their entire crews .   As the storm slowly proceeded inland , days of downpours caused rivers to rise precipitously from Mississippi to Georgia , overflowing their banks for several miles in each direction ; the Chattahoochee River exceeded flood stage by 23.7 ft. In Alabama alone , 350,000 acres of farmland was submerged , leading to millions of dollars in crop damage . Railroads were flooded , washed out , or blocked by debris , and many sawmills and other industrial facilities were adversely affected . In addition , the hurricane 's outer bands spawned multiple tornadoes that each caused severe but localized damage to homes . More moderate rainfall in western North Carolina primed the French Broad River watershed for a catastrophic flooding event when another hurricane from the Atlantic coast moved over the same area just days later . The resulting disaster , the worst in Asheville , North Carolina 's history , killed 80 people . Including property damage , shipping losses , and crop failures , the Gulf Coast hurricane 's monetary toll was approximately $ 12.5 million , and at least 34 people died .

negative: 1985 Election day floods The 1985 Election Day floods ( also known as the Killer Floods of 1985 in West Virginia ) produced the costliest floods in both West Virginia and Virginia in November 1985 . The event occurred after Hurricane Juan , a tropical cyclone in the 1985 Atlantic hurricane season , meandered near the coast of Louisiana before striking just west of Pensacola , Florida late on October 31 . Juan moved northward into Canada , but spawned another system that spread moderate rainfall across the Mid-Atlantic States , wetting soils . On November 3 , a low pressure area developed south of Florida and moved northeastward along a cold front , bringing a plume of moisture influenced by Juan 's previous track . The storm moved through the southeastern United States , stalling on November 5 west of Washington , D.C. before turning out to sea the next day . The event was known as the Election Day floods due to its concurrence with elections in Virginia .   Damage was heaviest in Virginia and West Virginia . In the former state , the rainfall peaked at 19.77 in just northeast of Montebello . The rains increased levels along many rivers to record heights across Virginia , including the James River which crested at 42.15 ft at a station called Holcomb Rock , the highest level in the state . In Roanoke , the Roanoke River rose 18.57 ft in ten hours to a peak of 23.35 ft , considered a 1 in 200 year event . In the city , many residents had to be rescued after they were trapped , and three people drowned by driving into flooded waters . Considered the worst flood on record in the city , Roanoke sustained $ 225 million in damage , with 3,100 damaged homes and businesses . There was also flooding in Richmond after the James River crested at the second-highest level on record . Throughout Virginia , damage was estimated at $ 753 million , making it the state 's costliest flood at the time , and there were 22 deaths .   In West Virginia , 27 river gauging stations were 1 in 100 year events , mostly along the Potomac and Monongahela basins . As most of West Virginia 's liveable land is along flood plains , the river flooding caused heavy damage in the state , mostly in the eastern portion . High waters washed away topsoil and thousands of trees , and over 13,000 homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed in the state . Damage was estimated at nearly $ 700 million , making it West Virginia 's costliest flood , and there were 38 deaths . Flooding also affected Maryland , although to a lesser degree than neighboring Virginia , with $ 21 million in damage and one death . There was also tidal flooding in the state along the Chesapeake Bay from the storm , which washed away beaches just weeks after Hurricane Gloria affected the coastline . In Pennsylvania , flooding was worst along the Monongahela River in the state 's southwest portion . During the storm , a power company opened the flood gates of the Lake Lynn dam along the river to preserve its integrity , triggering a class action lawsuit that ultimately failed . The floods damaged or destroyed 3,349 houses in Pennsylvania , causing $ 83 million in damage , as well as one death .   Overall damage was estimated at $ 1.4 billion , which would have been the fourth costliest United States hurricanes if it were a tropical cyclone , and there were 62 overall deaths . The flooding spurred changes to warning practices by the National Weather Service and the Government of Virginia . In December 2011 , the United States Army Corps of Engineers completed a flood mitigation project in Roanoke , Virginia that began following the 1985 floods .


query: In 1990 the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicted that temperatures would rise by 0.54F (0.3C) per decade.

positive: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) is a scientific and intergovernmental body under the auspices of the United Nations , set up at the request of member governments , dedicated to the task of providing the world with an objective , scientific view of climate change and its political and economic impacts . It was first established in 1988 by two United Nations organizations , the World Meteorological Organization ( WMO ) and the United Nations Environment Programme ( UNEP ) , and later endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly through Resolution 43/53 . Membership of the IPCC is open to all members of the WMO and UNEP .  The IPCC produces reports that support the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ( UNFCCC ) , which is the main international treaty on climate change . The ultimate objective of the UNFCCC is to `` stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic -LSB- i.e. , human-induced -RSB- interference with the climate system '' . IPCC reports cover `` the scientific , technical and socio-economic information relevant to understanding the scientific basis of risk of human-induced climate change , its potential impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation . ''   The IPCC does not carry out its own original research , nor does it do the work of monitoring climate or related phenomena itself . The IPCC bases its assessment on the published literature , which includes peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed sources .   Thousands of scientists and other experts contribute ( on a voluntary basis , without payment from the IPCC ) to writing and reviewing reports , which are then reviewed by governments . IPCC reports contain a `` Summary for Policymakers '' , which is subject to line-by-line approval by delegates from all participating governments . Typically this involves the governments of more than 120 countries .   The IPCC provides an internationally accepted authority on climate change , producing reports which have the agreement of leading climate scientists and the consensus of participating governments . The 2007 Nobel Peace Prize was shared , in equal parts , between the IPCC and Al Gore .

positive: Global warming controversy The global warming controversy concerns the public debate over whether global warming is occurring , how much has occurred in modern times , what has caused it , what its effects will be , whether any action should be taken to curb it , and if so what that action should be . In the scientific literature , there is a strong consensus that global surface temperatures have increased in recent decades and that the trend is caused by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases . No scientific body of national or international standing disagrees with this view , though a few organizations with members in extractive industries hold non-committal positions . Disputes over the key scientific facts of global warming are more prevalent in the media than in the scientific literature , where such issues are treated as resolved , and such disputes are more prevalent in the United States than globally .   Political and popular debate concerning the existence and cause of climate change includes the reasons for the increase seen in the instrumental temperature record , whether the warming trend exceeds normal climatic variations , and whether human activities have contributed significantly to it . Scientists have resolved these questions decisively in favour of the view that the current warming trend exists and is ongoing , that human activity is the cause , and that it is without precedent in at least 2000 years . Public disputes that also reflect scientific debate include estimates of how responsive the climate system might be to any given level of greenhouse gases ( climate sensitivity ) , how global climate change will play out at local and regional scales , and what the consequences of global warming will be .   Global warming remains an issue of widespread political debate , often split along party political lines , especially in the United States . Many of the issues that are settled within the scientific community , such as human responsibility for global warming , remain the subject of politically or economically motivated attempts to downplay , dismiss or deny them -- an ideological phenomenon categorised by academics and scientists as climate change denial . The sources of funding for those involved with climate science -- both supporting and opposing mainstream scientific positions -- have been questioned by both sides . There are debates about the best policy responses to the science , their cost-effectiveness and their urgency . Climate scientists , especially in the United States , have reported official and oil-industry pressure to censor or suppress their work and hide scientific data , with directives not to discuss the subject in public communications . Legal cases regarding global warming , its effects , and measures to reduce it have reached American courts . The fossil fuels lobby has been identified as overtly or covertly supporting efforts to undermine or discredit the scientific consensus on global warming .

positive: Global warming Global warming , also referred to as climate change , is the observed century-scale rise in the average temperature of the Earth 's climate system and its related effects . Multiple lines of scientific evidence show that the climate system is warming . Many of the observed changes since the 1950s are unprecedented in the instrumental temperature record which extends back to the mid 19th century , and in paleoclimate proxy records over thousands of years .   In 2013 , the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) Fifth Assessment Report concluded that `` It is extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century . '' The largest human influence has been emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide , methane and nitrous oxide . Climate model projections summarized in the report indicated that during the 21st century the global surface temperature is likely to rise a further 0.3 to for their lowest emissions scenario and 2.6 to for the highest emissions scenario . These findings have been recognized by the national science academies of the major industrialized nations and are not disputed by any scientific body of national or international standing .   Future climate change and associated impacts will differ from region to region around the globe . Anticipated effects include warming global temperature , rising sea levels , changing precipitation , and expansion of deserts in the subtropics . Warming is expected to be greater over land than over the oceans and greatest in the Arctic , with the continuing retreat of glaciers , permafrost and sea ice . Other likely changes include more frequent extreme weather events including heat waves , droughts , heavy rainfall with floods and heavy snowfall ; ocean acidification ; and species extinctions due to shifting temperature regimes . Effects significant to humans include the threat to food security from decreasing crop yields and the abandonment of populated areas due to rising sea levels . Because the climate system has a large `` inertia '' and greenhouse gases will stay in the atmosphere for a long time , many of these effects will not only exist for decades or centuries , but will persist for tens of thousands of years .   Possible societal responses to global warming include mitigation by emissions reduction , adaptation to its effects , building systems resilient to its effects , and possible future climate engineering . Most countries are parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ( UNFCCC ) ,  whose ultimate objective is to prevent dangerous anthropogenic climate change . Parties to the UNFCCC have agreed that deep cuts in emissions are required and that global warming should be limited to well below 2.0 C-change relative to pre-industrial levels , with efforts made to limit warming to 1.5 C-change .   Public reactions to global warming and concern about its effects are also increasing . A global 2015 Pew Research Center report showed a median of 54 % consider it `` a very serious problem '' . There are significant regional differences , with Americans and Chinese ( whose economies are responsible for the greatest annual CO2 emissions ) among the least concerned .

negative: Reasons for concern The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) has organized many of the risks of climate change into five `` reasons for concern . '' The reasons for concern show that these risks increase with increases in the Earth 's global mean temperature ( i.e. , global warming ) . The IPCC 's five reasons for concern are : threats to endangered species and unique systems , damages from extreme climate events , effects that fall most heavily on developing countries and the poor within countries , global aggregate impacts ( i.e. , various measurements of total social , economic and ecological impacts ) , and large-scale high-impact events . The five reasons for concern are described in more detail below . The following descriptions are based on information from the IPCC 's Third ( TAR ) and Fourth Assessment Reports ( AR4 ) , published in 2001 and 2007 , respectively .

negative: IPCC First Assessment Report The First Assessment Report ( FAR ) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) was completed in 1990 . It served as the basis of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ( UNFCCC ) .   The report was issued in three main sections , corresponding to the three Working Groups of scientists that the IPCC had established .   Working Group I : Scientific Assessment of Climate Change , edited by J.T. Houghton , G.J. Jenkins and J.J. Ephraums  Working Group II : Impacts Assessment of Climate Change , edited by W.J. McG . Tegart , G.W. Sheldon and D.C. Griffiths  Working Group III : The IPCC Response Strategies   Each section included a summary for policymakers . This format was followed in subsequent Assessment Reports .   The executive summary of the policymakers ' summary of the WG I report includes :   We are certain of the following : there is a natural greenhouse effect ... ; emissions resulting from human activities are substantially increasing the atmospheric concentrations of the greenhouse gases : CO2 , methane , CFCs and nitrous oxide . These increases will enhance the greenhouse effect , resulting on average in an additional warming of the Earth 's surface . The main greenhouse gas , water vapour , will increase in response to global warming and further enhance it .  We calculate with confidence that : ... CO2 has been responsible for over half the enhanced greenhouse effect ; long-lived gases would require immediate reductions in emissions from human activities of over 60 % to stabilise their concentrations at today 's levels ...  Based on current models , we predict : under -LSB- BAU -RSB- increase of global mean temperature during the -LSB- 21st -RSB- century of about 0.3 oC per decade ( with an uncertainty range of 0.2 to 0.5 oC per decade ) ; this is greater than that seen over the past 10,000 years ; under other ... scenarios which assume progressively increasing levels of controls , rates of increase in global mean temperature of about 0.2 oC -LSB- to -RSB- about 0.1 oC per decade .  There are many uncertainties in our predictions particularly with regard to the timing , magnitude and regional patterns of climate change , due to our incomplete understanding of : sources and sinks of GHGs ; clouds ; oceans ; polar ice sheets .  Our judgement is that : global mean surface air temperature has increased by 0.3 to 0.6 oC over the last 100 years ... ; The size of this warming is broadly consistent with predictions of climate models , but it is also of the same magnitude as natural climate variability . Thus the observed increase could be largely due to this natural variability ; alternatively this variability and other human factors could have offset a still larger human-induced greenhouse warming . The unequivocal detection of the enhanced greenhouse effect is not likely for a decade or more .  under the IPCC business as usual emissions scenario , an average rate of global mean sea level rise of about 6 cm per decade over the next century ( with an uncertainty range of 3 -- 10 cm per decade ) , mainly due to thermal expansion of the oceans and the melting of some land ice . The predicted rise is about 20 cm ... by 2030 , and 65 cm by the end of the next century .

negative: United States House Science Subcommittee on Energy The Science Subcommittee on Energy is one of six subcommittees of the United States House Committee on Science , Space and Technology .   In 2007 , the subcommittee held the first Congressional hearing on global climate change for the 110th Congress . The Hearing on the State of Climate Change Science 2007 : The Findings of the Fourth Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) , Working Group I Report , included four climate scientists who authored the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) assessment report and Speaker Nancy Pelosi .

negative: Climate change acronyms The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ( UNFCCC ) use tens of acronyms and initialisms in documents relating to climate change policy .

negative: Jean Palutikof Jean Palutikof is founding Director of the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility ( NCCARF ) at Griffith University , Australia . She has held this position since 2008 . Prior to this , Professor Palutikof was based at the UK Met Office during which time she managed the production of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) Fourth Assessment Report for Working Group II ( Impacts , Adaptation and Vulnerability ) .   Professor Palutikof is among the foremost scholars of climate change adaptation and was lead author and review editor for several assessments of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) and was present in Oslo at the ceremony at which the IPCC received the Nobel Peace Prize .

negative: Bali Declaration by Climate Scientists The 2007 Bali Declaration by Climate Scientists was a statement signed by over 200 climate scientists advocating specific targets for greenhouse gas emissions for the 21st century . The statement was based on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Article 2 that committed signatories to the '' ... stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system '' and on the science available in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment report ( IPCC AR4 ) . The Bali Declaration was released to coincide with the 2007 United Nations Climate Change Conference which took place in Bali 3 -- 15 December 2007 .   Category : Climate change policy

negative: Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) published a special report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation ( SRREN ) on May 9 , 2011 . The report developed under the leadership of Ottmar Edenhofer evaluates the global potential for using renewable energy to mitigate climate change . This IPCC special report provides broader coverage of renewable energy than was included in the IPCC 's 2007 climate change assessment report , as well as stronger renewable energy policy coverage .   Renewable energy can contribute to `` social and economic development , energy access , secure energy supply , climate change mitigation , and the reduction of negative environmental and health impacts '' . Under favourable circumstances , cost savings in comparison to non-renewable energy use exist .

negative: Indur M. Goklany Indur M. Goklany is a science and technology policy analyst for the United States Department of the Interior , where he holds the position of Assistant Director of Programs , Science and Technology Policy .   He has represented the United States at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) and during the negotiations that led to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change . He was a rapporteur for the Resource Use and Management Subgroup of Working Group III of the IPCC First Assessment Report in 1990 ,  and is the author of Clearing the Air ( 1999 ) , The Precautionary Principle ( 2001 ) , and The Improving State of the World ( 2007 ) .

negative: IPCC Summary for Policymakers The Summary for policymakers ( SPM )   is a summary of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) reports intended to aid policymakers . The form is approved line by line by governments : `` Negotiations occur over wording to ensure accuracy , balance , clarity of message , and relevance to understanding and policy . ''

negative: Piers Forster Piers Forster is Professor of Physical Climate Change and Director of the Priestley International Centre for Climate at the University of Leeds .  A physicist by training , his research focuses on quantifying the different human causes of climate change and the way the Earth responds . He is best known for his work on radiative forcing , climate sensitivity , contrails and geoengineering . He has contributed heavily to the writing of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports , including acting as a Lead Author for both the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report and IPCC Fifth Assessment Report .

negative: Anders Levermann Anders Levermann is a climate scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and Columbia University . He is a Professor of the Dynamics of the Climate System at Institute for Physics and Astrophysics of the Potsdam University , Germany . He was a lead author of the chapter on sea-level changes of the fifth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC AR5 ) , and contributed to the paleoclimate chapter in the previous report ( IPCC-AR4 ) . Levermann advises political and economic stakeholders on the issue of climate change .

negative: IPCC (disambiguation) IPCC may refer to :   Independent Police Complaints Commission of England and Wales  Independent Police Complaints Council of Hong Kong  Integrated Professional Competency Course , a course of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India  Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change , a scientific body under the auspices of the United Nations .  Interworld Police Coordinating Company , a fictional organization in Jack Vance 's novels  Irish Peatland Conservation Council

negative: Thomas Stocker Thomas Stocker ( born 1959 ) is a Swiss climate scientist .   Born in Zürich , Stocker obtained a degree in physics at the ETH Zurich . He was active in research at the University College London , at McGill University in Montreal and at Columbia University in New York . Since 1993 , he is professor and head of the department of Climate and Environmental Physics at the University of Bern .   The focus of Stocker 's research is the development of models of climate change based on , among other , the analysis of ice cores from the polar regions . He significantly contributed to creating the `` hockey stick graph '' that shows a growing increase of global mean temperatures in recent times . Since 1998 , he contributes to the reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change , and is co-chairman of the IPCC Working Group I ( assessing scientific aspects of the climate system and climate change ) from 2008 to 2015 .   In 1993 , Stocker was awarded the Swiss National Science Foundation 's National Latsis Prize , and 2009 the Hans Oeschger Medal of the European Geosciences Union . He is a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union and a member of the Academia Europaea and the American Meteorological Society .   Stocker is featured in the film Taking Earth 's Temperature : Delving into Climate 's Past .   On February 18 , 2015 , the Swiss government announced it would nominate Dr. Stocker as a candidate for the next chair of the IPCC to succeed Dr. Pachauri .

negative: List of environmental reports This is a list of notable environmental reports . In this context they relate to the impacts of human activity on the environment .   City-level Decoupling : Urban Resource Flows and the Governance of Infrastructure Transitions - by the International Resource Panel  Clean Energy Trends - a series of reports by Clean Edge - beginning in 2002  Copeland Report - for the U.S. government , completed in 1933  Copenhagen Diagnosis - written by twenty-six climate scientists from eight countries  Dioxin Reassessment Report - by the United States Environmental Protection Agency  Environmental Impact of the Big Cypress Swamp Jetport ( `` Leopold Report '' ) - United States Department of the Interior ( 1969 )  Environmental Risks and Challenges of Anthropogenic Metals Flows and Cycles - by the International Resource Panel  Forest Principles - United Nations Conference on Environment and Development ( UNCED )  The Global 2000 Report to the President - Council on Environmental Quality ( 1981 )  Global Environment Outlook - United Nations Environment Programme ( UNEP )  Hirsch report ( Peaking of World Oil Production : Impacts , Mitigation , and Risk Management ) - United States Department of Energy  Index of Leading Environmental Indicators - Pacific Research Institute  IPCC First Assessment Report - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC )  IPCC supplementary report , 1992 - IPCC  IPCC Second Assessment Report - IPCC  IPCC Third Assessment Report Climate Change 2001 - IPCC ( 2001 )  IPCC Fourth Assessment Report Climate Change 2007 - IPCC ( 2007 )  IPCC Fifth Assessment Report ( 2014 )  Leopold Report ( `` Wildlife Management in the National Parks '' ) - Special Advisory Board on Wildlife Management ( 1963 )  Livestock 's Long Shadow - Environmental Issues and Options - United Nations ( 2006 )  Living Planet Report - WWF , every two years  Making Sweden an Oil-Free Society - Government of Sweden ( 2006 )  Meat Atlas - published by the Heinrich Böll Foundation and Friends of the Earth Europe  Nuclear Power and the Environment - UK Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution - 1976  Our Common Future - World Commission on Environment and Development ( 1987 )  Outlook On Renewable Energy In America ( 2 volumes ) - American Council on Renewable Energy - 2007  Phase I Environmental Site Assessment - generic  Planning Policy Statement 10 : Planning for Sustainable Waste Management ( PPS 10 ) - British Government  Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation - United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) - planned for 2010  Report of the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification - Royal Commission on Genetic Modification ( 2001 )  State of the Climate - NOAA/NCDC ( published annually )  The State of the World - Worldwatch Institute ( published yearly since 1984 )  Wegman Report - to validate criticisms of reconstructions of the temperature record of the past 1000 years  Windscale : Britain 's Biggest Nuclear Disaster ( 2007 )  World Climate Report - Greening Earth Society  The World 's 25 Most Endangered Primates - selected and published by the IUCN Species Survival Commission Primate Specialist Group ( IUCN/SSC PSG ) , the International Primatological Society ( IPS ) , and Conservation International ( CI )

negative: Arturo Villavicencio Arturo Villavicencio is an Ecuadorian environmental researcher . He was nominated by Denmark in 1995 for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) and contributed to its fourth assessment report ( the work of the IPCC , including the contributions of many scientists , was recognised by the joint award of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize ) .

negative: Gary Yohe Gary Wynn Yohe is the Huffington Foundation Professor of Economics and Environmental Studies at Wesleyan University , Middletown , Connecticut . He holds a PhD from Yale University .   Yohe specializes in Microeconomic theory , Natural Resources , and Environmental Economics . He is a researcher on the economics of climate change and integrated assessment modelling . Among other works , he is an editor of the book `` Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change '' and co-author ( with Edwin Mansfield ) of `` Microeconomics | Microeconomics : Theory and Applications '' . He is a senior member of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) that was awarded a share of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore . He has been involved with the IPCC since the mid-1990s , has served , among other capacities , as a Lead Author for four different chapters in the IPCC Third Assessment Report , and as Convening Lead Author for the last chapter of the contribution of Working Group II to the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report . Yohe also worked with the Core Writing Team to prepare the overall Synthesis Report for the entire Assessment .   Yohe is also a member of the New York City Panel on Climate Change and the standing Committee on the Human Dimensions of Global Change of the National Academy of Sciences . He is also a standing member of the National Academy of Sciences ' Committee on the Human Dimensions of Global Change . He was a vice-chair of the Third National Climate Assessment .   He is one of the four co-signers of an open letter , dated March 12 , 2010 , regarding possible errors in the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report and regularly advises the US government .

negative: Bert Bolin Bert Rickard Johannes Bolin ( -LSB- bæʈː bʊliːn -RSB- ; 15 May 1925 -- 30 December 2007 ) was a Swedish meteorologist who served as the first chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) , from 1988 to 1997 . He was professor of meteorology at Stockholm University from 1961 until his retirement in 1990 .

negative: 2007 Nobel Peace Prize The 2007 Nobel Peace Prize was shared , in two equal parts , between the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) and Al Gore `` for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change , and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change '' .

negative: Venkatachalam Ramaswamy Venkatachalam Ramaswamy ( V. `` Ram '' Ramaswamy ) is the Director of the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ) Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research ( OAR ) , studying climate modeling and climate change . `` A leading climate scientist '' , his work is cited as supporting evidence for significant stratospheric climate change . He focuses in particular on radiative transfer models and the hydrologic cycle in the atmosphere . He has actively supported the development of supercomputing approaches that enable researchers to achieve higher resolution and greater complexity in climate models . As a lead author involved in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) , Ramaswamy 's contributions ( along with the contributions of many scientists ) was recognised by the joint award of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize to the IPCC .

negative: Climate change in New Zealand Climate change in New Zealand refers to change in the climate of New Zealand on the scale of years , decades , centuries and longer periods of time . New Zealand is being affected by climate change and the impacts are predicted to increase in future . Anthropogenic global warming during the 20th century is apparent in the instrumental temperature record , in New Zealand 's participation in international treaties , and in social and political debates .   Climate change is being responded to in a variety of ways by civil society and the government of New Zealand . An emissions trading scheme has been established and from 1 July 2010 , the energy and liquid fossil fuel sectors have obligations to report emissions and to obtain and surrender emissions units ( carbon credits ) .

negative: Indian Network on Climate Change Assessment The Indian Network on Climate Change Assessment ( INCCA ) is a proposed network of scientists in India to be set up to publish peer-reviewed findings on climate change in India .   It was announced on 7 October 2009 , saying :   It was re-announced on 25 January 2012 by an official of the climate change division in the Environment Ministry after a strategy meeting chaired by Joint Secretary ( Climate ) J.M. Mausker , which also dealt with the framing of India 's National Action Plan on Climate Change ( NAPCC ) . On 4 February 2010 India 's environment minister Jairam Ramesh announced that it would bring together 250 scientists from 125 Indian research institutions and collaborate with international organisations.its first assessment of greenhouse gas emission was released on May 11 , 2010 and Its second climate assessment to be published in November 2010 would include reports on the Himalayas , the coastline of India , the Western Ghat highlands and the north-eastern region of India . He said it would operate as a `` sort of Indian IPCC '' , but will not rival the UN 's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) .   Ramesh also announced the initiation of an Indian National Institute of Himalayan Glaciology . He said that although he respected the IPCC , it was unequal to the task and its weakness was that it did not conduct its own research . Ramesh also indicated its biases made it insensitive to regional realities , and instead relied on compiling assessments of other reports , which , led to `` goof-ups '' on the Amazon forests , Himalayan glaciers , and ice caps .

negative: NPCC NPCC may refer to :   National Police Cadet Corps , a student uniformed organisation in Singapore  National Police Chiefs ' Council , a co-ordinating body for policing in the UK ( replacing the previous Association of Chief Police Officers )  Northeast Power Coordinating Council , one of nine regional electric reliability councils under North American Electric Reliability Corporation ( NERC ) authority  North Point Community Church , a megachurch in Atlanta  NPCC Enterprises , a website development company in Wilkes-Barre , Pennsylvania  New York City Panel on Climate Change , an advisory panel to the New York City Mayor on climate change modeled on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC )

negative: Advisory Group on Greenhouse Gases The Advisory Group on Greenhouse Gases , created in 1985 , was an advisory body for the review of studies into the greenhouse effect . The group was created by the International Council of Scientific Unions , the United Nations Environment Programme , and the World Meteorological Organization to follow up on the recommendations of the International conference of the Assessment of the role of carbon dioxide and of other greenhouse gases in climate variations and associated impacts , held at Villach , Austria , in October 1985 .   The seven-member panel included Swedish meteorologist Bert Bolin and Canadian climatologist Kenneth Hare .   The group held its last meeting in 1990 . It was gradually replaced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change .

negative: Hoesung Lee Hoesung Lee ( born December 31 , 1945 ) is a South Korean economist and current chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change . He is professor in the economics of climate change , energy and sustainable development in the Graduate School of Energy , Environment , Policy & Technology at Korea University in the Republic of Korea . Lee received his B.A. in economics from Seoul National University and a Ph.D. in economics from Rutgers University .  Lee was elected as the chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) on October 6 , 2015 .  One of his elder brothers is Lee Hoi-chang , former Prime Minister of South Korea and three-time presidential candidate .

negative: List of scientists opposing the mainstream scientific assessment of global warming This is a list of scientists who have made statements that conflict with the scientific consensus on global warming as summarized by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and endorsed by other scientific bodies . As approximately 97 % of publishing climate scientists support the consensus on anthropogenic climate change , this list represents a minority viewpoint .   The scientific consensus is that the global average surface temperature has risen over the last century . Scientific opinion on climate change was summarized in the 2001 Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) . The main conclusions on global warming at that time were as follows :  The global average surface temperature has risen 0.6 ± 0.2 ° C since the late 19th century , and 0.17 ° C per decade in the last 30 years .  `` There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities '' , in particular emissions of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane .  If greenhouse gas emissions continue the warming will also continue , with temperatures projected to increase by 1.4 ° C to 5.8 ° C between 1990 and 2100 . Accompanying this temperature increase will be increases in some types of extreme weather and a projected sea level rise . The balance of impacts of global warming become significantly negative at larger values of warming .   These findings are recognized by the national science academies of all the major industrialized nations ; the consensus has strengthened over time and is now virtually unanimous . The level of consensus correlates with expertise in climate science .   There have been several efforts to compile lists of dissenting scientists , including a 2008 US senate minority report , the Oregon Petition , and a 2007 list by the Heartland Institute , all three of which have been criticized on a number of grounds .   For the purpose of this list , a `` scientist '' is defined as an individual who has published at least one peer-reviewed research article in the broad field of natural sciences , although not necessarily in a field relevant to climatology . Since the publication of the IPCC Third Assessment Report , each has made a clear statement in his or her own words ( as opposed to the name being found on a petition , etc. ) disagreeing with one or more of the report 's three main conclusions . Their views on climate change are usually described in more detail in their biographical articles . Few of the statements in the references for this list are part of the peer-reviewed scientific literature ; most are from other sources such as interviews , opinion pieces , online essays and presentations .   NB : Only individuals who have their own Wikipedia article may be included in the list .

negative: David Wratt David Stuart Wratt QSO is the Chief Scientist ( Climate ) at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research ( NIWA ) and is responsible for NIWA 's National Climate Centre . He has a PhD in atmospheric physics from the University of Canterbury . He has worked in the USA and Australia as well as New Zealand . His expertise includes climate and meteorology , climate change science and impacts , mountain meteorology , and air quality .   He is a Companion of the Royal Society of New Zealand . He chairs the Climate Committee of the Royal Society of New Zealand . He is a member of the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) and he is a Vice-Chair of IPCC Working Group 1 , which assesses the physical science of climate change .   He was a Coordinating Lead Author of the `` Australia and New Zealand '' chapter of the IPCC Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change .   After gaining a PhD in atmospheric physics from the University of Canterbury and a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Illinois , he worked for the New Zealand Meteorological Service . In 1992 he and other climate researchers transferred to NIWA .   Wratt has stated :   `` There 's a strong scientific case for significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions . We need a combination of reducing our emissions in New Zealand and being part of international negotiations to reduce emissions globally in order to forestall the worst effects . ''   Wratt was made a Companion of the Queen 's Service Order in the 2012 New Year Honours , for services to science .

negative: Gabriele C. Hegerl Gabriele C. Hegerl FRS ( born 1962 ) is Professor of Climate System Science at the University of Edinburgh School of GeoSciences . Prior to 2007 she held research positions at Texas A&M University and at Duke University 's Nicholas School of the Environment , during which time she was a coordinating lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) Fourth and Fifth Assessment Report .

negative: Scientific consensus on climate change There is currently a strong scientific consensus that the Earth is warming and that this warming is mainly caused by human activities. This consensus is supported by various studies of scientists' opinions and by position statements of scientific organizations, many of which explicitly agree with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) synthesis reports.  Nearly all actively publishing climate scientists (97–98%) support the consensus on anthropogenic climate change, and the remaining 2% of contrarian studies either cannot be replicated or contain errors.

negative: David Karoly David John Karoly ( born 1955 ) is an Australian atmospheric scientist . He is an expert in climate change , stratospheric ozone depletion , and climate variations due to the El Niño-Southern Oscillation ( ENSO ) .   Karoly has served as a lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) Working Group 2 ( on societal impacts ) and he is a member of the faculty of the School of Earth Sciences at the University of Melbourne . His work , along with that of the many other lead authors and review editors , contributed to the award of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize , which was won jointly by the IPCC and Al Gore . He is member of the board of the Climate Change Authority .

negative: C. Vernon Cole Dr. C. Vernon Cole ( 1922 -- August 30 , 2013 ) was a soil scientist known primarily for his work on nutrient cycling in agroecosystems . He was a member of Working Group II of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) Second Assessment report , and the lead author of Chapter 23 `` Agricultural Options for Mitigation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions '' . The IPCC was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 .

negative: Fatima Denton Fatima Denton is the Co-ordinator for the African Climate Policy Centre ( ACPC ) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa ( UNECA ) , based in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia . She directs a special initiatives division focused on innovation , science , technology and natural resource management . She partners with countries such as Benin and Liberia to develop and implement country needs assessment missions .   Fatima Denton writes about topics including renewable energy , sustainable development , climate change , gender and climate change , climate change adaptation , vulnerability , food security and water and energy poverty . She is a lead author for Working Group II 's Fifth Assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) , and for the IPCC Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation ( SRREN ) . She has served on a number of scientific committees including the Independent Science Panel ( ISP ) of the CGIAR Climate Change and Food Security Programme ( CCAFS ) .   Denton was the 2015 Barbara Ward Lecturer , challenging policy-makers , researchers , and academics in London to reexamine Africa and its relationship to climate change . She is a speaker at the 2016 Borlaug Dialogue International Symposium , one of several `` Women Leaders Driving Agricultural Transformation in Africa '' .

negative: Joel B. Smith Joel B. Smith is an expert on climate change policy .   He was a coordinating lead author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2001 assessment report and a lead author of the 2007 assessment report ( the work of the IPCC , including the contributions of many scientists , was recognised by the joint award of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize ) .   He is currently a Principal at Stratus Consulting Inc. , in Boulder , CO. .