As reported by Joe Romm at ClimateProgress, the new 2012 information statement on climate change by AMS, the American Meteorological Society now says that “There is unequivocal evidence that Earth’s lower atmosphere, ocean, and land surface are warming; sea level is rising; and snow cover, mountain glaciers, and Arctic sea ice are shrinking. The dominant cause of the warming since the 1950s is human activities. This scientific finding is based on a large and persuasive body of research. The observed warming will be irreversible for many years into the future, and even larger temperature increases will occur as greenhouse gases continue to accumulate in the atmosphere. Avoiding this future warming will require a large and rapid reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions.” This is important because AMS members include the TV and radio weather broadcasters that Americans rely on and trust for weather and climate. The Broadcast Meteorology Conference series at Grist.org reports that most Americans want to learn more about climate change from them, and while some broadcasters are afraid to alienate their audience, others who do educate their audiences on climate change are thanked by them.
Source
actual statement: http://www.ametsoc.org/policy/2012climatechange.html
see also: Broadcast Meteorology Conference Day 1: Viewers to TV weather reporters: Where’s the climate coverage?
http://grist.org/article/viewers-to-tv-meteorologists-we-want-climate-facts/
Broadcast Meteorology Conference Day 2: Heroic weatherman talks climate in a red state—and viewers thank him for it
http://grist.org/climate-energy/meeting-the-bruce-springsteens-of-climate-communication/
Broadcast Meteorology Conference Wrap-up: Viewer Trust Requires Forecasting the Facts
http://grist.org/article/viewer-trust-requires-forecasting-the-facts/
