Science is about scepticism , and methodologically about critically testing potentially falsifiable hypotheses.

Conversely, anti-science spin is about selective use of asserted facts to support a partisan position - and the spin-based climate sceptics are accordingly methodologically crippled.

No doubt the scientists holding to the overwhelming global consensus of scientists that man-made global warming is threatening the planet would dearly like this hypothesis to be disproved - but it hasn't been and if anything things are now perceived to be far worse than as presented by the IPCC 2007 4th Assessment Report (for the latest expert views see 8 superb power point lectures by top climate scientists and analysts:

http://sites.google.com/site/yarravalleyclimateactiongroup/climate-change-power-point-lectures-1 ).

Excellent article and summary of the March 2009 Copenhagen Scientific Climate Change Conference.

One only hopes that the December 2009 political Copenhagen Climate Change Conference will heed the Climate Emergency message from the scientists.

The fundamental position of internationally-oriented but Australia-based 300.org is that  “There must be a safe and sustainable existence for all peoples and all species on our warming-threatened Planet and this requires a rapid reduction of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration  to about 300 parts per million” (see: http://sites.google.com/site/300orgsite/300-org ) . 

For an excellent recent power point lecture on the worsening climate emergency by top US climate scientist Professor John Holdren (Professor of Environmental Policy and Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University; Director, Woods Hole Research Center; former president, American Association for the Advancement of Science, AAAS; President Barack Obama’s chief science adviser), see  “The Science of Climate Disruption” (2008) – a summary of the basis of man-made global warming and the climatic disruption that has already occurred [32 pages]: http://www.usclimateaction.org/userfiles/JohnHoldren.pdf .

For a detailed course on global warming (and incorporating data from Dr Holdren and other top climate scientists) by Dr Gideon Polya (biochemist, teacher, La Trobe University and U3A, Melbourne) see  “Global Warming, Climate Emergency Course” (2009), 52 pages of detailed course notes for an 8 x 2 hour course  on global warming, the present climatic disruption and what we can do about it : http://sites.google.com/site/yarravalleyclimateactiongroup/global-warming--global-emergency-course .

Hi, Thanks for the invitation. I joined Gather to help contribute to global awareness of the acute threats facing the planet - according to Professor John Holdren (Harvard University; now President Obama's chief science adviser) these are nuclear, greenhouse and poverty threats. I teach biochemistry to agriculture students at a leading Australian university and I give my last lab class and tutorial for the semester today. According to Australian medical Nobel Laureate Professor Peter Doherty "we are in real danger" from man-made climate change.  At the end of each lecture, after my students have left, I leave the following message on top of the  board for the next class (linguistics, economics, maths?) :"Science-informed 300.org says that for a safe planet for all peoples and all species we need to urgently reduce atmospheric CO2 from the current ~390 ppm to 300 ppm". If I were physically present at the Gather afternoon tea party I would be wearing (as I always do) the prominent Badge of the Australian "Climate Emergency Network" of which I and my local Melbourne-based Yarra Valley Climate Action Group are members (see us - I am the only bloke holding our banner - on St Kilda Beach, Melbourne for the recent Human Sign demonstration with the message to governments composed by an 11 year old Melbourne school girl and writ with 5,000 people:  "CLIMATE CHANGE - OUR FUTURE IS IN YOUR HANDS": http://crdunn.blogspot.com/2009/05/climate-change-our-future-is-in-our.html ).  Cheers from Downunder!