Climate Change Tracker

(I work in a climate group)

These graphs really would benefit from error bars, especially the breakdowns into sector. I would not want a policy maker to rely on those numbers.

Could you please give an example graph from the site, and how you’d improve it?

Well, the land/ocean flux numbers for the "Yearly Absorption of Human-Induced Gross CO2 Emissions" have quite large error bars in the literature.

CH4 numbers are also questionable.

Don't worry; policy makers don't seem to care about any of this.

Or much of anything, for those committed to doing nothing regardless of the data or presentation.

Policy makers are rewarded for making decisions. Scientists are rewarded for being accurate.

It's a constant battle. A politician with a science report has official CYA for whatever they do, as they were making the decision based on scientific estimates.

Republicans + Joe Manchin don’t care about this. Most policy makers aren’t captured by the fossil fuel industry and many are pushing for the kind of structural changes we need, but it’s hard for them to accomplish as much with active opposition at the U.S. federal level.

And an error bar on a graph makes it less useful for making decisions?

Assuming they're not broader than the signal being measured, and they certainly won't be for recent history, it ought to actually make it more useful for politicians

Not just U.S. Just ask the German green party whether to invest money in a new highway or in a new train track. The result may surprise you. I wouldn't know why anyone votes for these clowns if not for that the other parties don't even claim they'll do something good for climate if elected

But at least they succeeded in getting rid of nuclear ¯\_(:))_/¯

Not my point.

Politicians always push for a scientific consensus they can act on, whether it's there or not.

Then please enlighten us how politicians are rewarded for making decisions. Is there an award "most decisions made"? Do people vote based on number of decisions made?

I'd rather think people vote based on what it was that a politician decided, and whether that is in line with their beliefs. Beliefs that may or may not come from scientific consensus

Yeah, I’m not saying it’s just Republicans but there is a significant amount of leverage in controlling the massive US economy which the fossil fuel industry has used carefully to stymie international agreements.

They have to make decisions. That's how things are accomplished.

Did you ever see a politician run seriously on "I didn't get anything done?"

Little people select politicians by their feelings about the information the media presents about them. Big people look at the politician will make or cost them money. They do this by acting, and they often want "science" to validate and cover for them as being wise.