Deniers often disparage climate scientists by calling them "alarmists,” accusing them of neglecting uncertainty and using charged emotional rhetoric instead of impartial evidence. But a new study in Climatic Change finds that it's actually the deniers who overplay scientific certainty and employ emotional language, not the scientists.
The study examines and compares the language of the latest IPCC report with the copy-cat NIPCC report and finds that the IPCC uses more cautious language. This finding supports existing literature that showed that IPCC reports err on the side of "least drama."
So while the IPCC is arguably too conservative when it comes to language—carefully qualifying everything and never using charged rhetoric—the NIPCC speaks with absolute certainty and frequently uses emotional language (especially when mentioning the IPCC). Given how the NIPCC's sole purpose is to try and discredit the IPCC, this should come as no surprise.
By speaking with certainty about the supposed uncertainties of climate science and by emotionally accusing the IPCC of being emotional, the NIPCC encapsulates denier projection in a way not seen since Willie Soon called climate scientists prostitutes.
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