CNN reports today that “Scientists have become more worried in recent years about [greenhouse] gases, with most atmospheric specialists concerned that the increasing accumulation is raising the Earth’s temperature in a potential disruption of climate through changing patterns of rainfall, drought and other storms.”

A new turn of phrase emerges here, on the heels of tired and never-supported claims that “most scientists believe” such and such. Since no reference was provided I’d be curious to see who it was that CNN asked, on whose authority it justifies its claim about the beliefs of “most atmospheric specialists.” Was it the American Meteorological Society’s statement which has since been revealed to have been the work of only a handful of the Society’s members?

The piece does talk about atmospheric concentrations, but never elaborates on those “rising temperatures.” Meanwhile, observations say the following about the increasing world temperatures in “recent years”:

I’m curious whether any scientist actually says what this CNN piece implies, that world temperatures are increasing in recent years.

As the U.S. prepares to make policy on the basis of a movie for the first time since maybe Jaws (though I would suggest that Moby Dick is the more appropriate case study), that would be a useful discussion.