Editor Resigns Over Bad Global Warming Denial Article

Back in July the Remote Sensing Journal published an article that said the mainstream models of global warming were wrong and had inflated the temperature predictions. The article said the models had misunderstood the role clouds played in cooling the Earth and the rate at which the Earth radiated heat into space. Of course, the climate change deniers and skeptics jumped on this article as proof of their beliefs.

The problem with that is that the article was flawed. First, it was printed in a journal that did not have much to do with environmental science (but instead concentrates on methods of monitoring the Earth from space). Second, the article was not properly peer-reviewed (which the journal now admits). Third, their have already been studies done debunking the conclusions of the article. In short, it was just bad science.

The editor of Remote Sensing Journal now admits the article should never have been included in the magazine, and he is so ashamed of publishing it that he has resigned from the journal. Here is what he now says:

"Peer-reviewed journals are a pillar of modern science. Their aim is to achieve highest scientific standards by carrying out a rigorous peer review that is, as a minimum requirement, supposed to be able to identify fundamental methodological errors or false claims."


"Unfortunately, as many climate researchers and engaged observers of the climate change debate pointed out in various internet discussion fora, the paper by Spencer and Braswell... is most likely problematic in both aspects and should therefore not have been published."

Of course none of this will keep the deniers from continuing to use the article to prove their beliefs. Truth and real science have never meant much to them anyway. But I do applaud the editor, Wolfgang Wagner, for having the courage to admit his mistake and trying to take action to correct it.