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Meteorologists Taking A Prominent Role In Climate Change Discussion

Todd Sumlin
/
Charlotte Observer

Todd Sumlin

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Nearly all climate scientists and a growing number of meteorologists believe climate change is real. We talk to a scientist and two meteorologists about the causes and effects of that change.

2016 was officially declared the hottest year in 137 years of record keeping. The five hottest years on record have come since 2010. Whether you call it climate change or global warming, we keep breaking records.

There is no debate among the majority of climate scientists that the earth is warming, but one highly visible group has been a little slower to accept the prevailing wisdom. A substantial amount of TV meteorologists have been skeptical about climate change.

But in recent years, that trend has started to reverse, with more meteorologists now taking on a more prominent role in openly discussing climate change. While there is a growing consensus among the scientific community, the public at large is more divided and the topic has become increasingly political.

Mike Collins will talk with two meteorologists, including one who reversed his views on the issue. They both want to get past the debate and the politics and have a real conversation about the causes and effects of climate change. We'll join in on the conversation.

Guests

Greg Fishel - Chief Meteorologist for WRAL-TV in Raleigh

Brad Panovich - Chief Meteorologist at WCNC-TV in Charlotte

Brian Magi - Assistant Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at UNC Charlotte

Related Reading:WRAL blog post by Greg Fishel: Choose science, stewardship in understanding climate change

From Brad Panovich's blog: It’s time we move on from a 0% & 100% climate change debate

Copyright 2017 WFAE

Erin Keever is Senior Producer of WFAE's Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins. She joined WFAE as an intern in 2006 and has since worked as a researcher, production assistant, food blog editor, on-air announcer, and now senior producer. She's a graduate of UNC Charlotte, but before that attended UNC Greensboro where she proudly worked at her college radio station WUAG. Erin is a native Charlottean and still misses the Spaghetti Warehouse from back when SouthEnd was gritty.
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