The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars: Dispatches from the Front Lines [Hardcover]

Michael E. Mann (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 6, 2012

The ongoing assault on climate science in the United States has never been more aggressive, more blatant, or more widely publicized than in the case of the Hockey Stick graph -- a clear and compelling visual presentation of scientific data, put together by MichaelE. Mann and his colleagues, demonstrating that global temperatures have risen in conjunction with the increase in industrialization and the use of fossil fuels. Here was an easy-to-understand graph that, in a glance, posed a threat to major corporate energy interests and those who do their political bidding. The stakes were simply too high to ignore the Hockey Stick -- and so began a relentless attack on a body of science and on the investigators whose work formed its scientific basis.

The Hockey Stick achieved prominence in a 2001 UN report on climate change and quickly became a central icon in the "climate wars." The real issue has never been the graph's data but rather its implied threat to those who oppose governmental regulation and other restraints to protect the environment and planet. Mann, lead author of the original paper in which the Hockey Stick first appeared, shares the story of the science and politics behind this controversy. He reveals key figures in the oil and energy industries and the media frontgroups who do their bidding in sometimes slick, sometimes bare-knuckled ways. Mann concludes with the real story of the 2009 "Climategate" scandal, in which climate scientists' emails were hacked. This is essential reading for all who care about our planet's health and our own well-being.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Very few people have sounded more important alarms about our climate future, and very few people have paid a higher price for doing so. Michael Mann is a hero, and this book is a remarkable account of the science and politics of the defining issue of our time.

(Bill McKibben, author of Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet 1/20/2012)

The brilliant and courageous climatologist Michael Mann knows what it's like to be viciously attacked by the well-funded deniers of scientific evidence and how critical it is to respond. In this gripping, personal, front-lines account of climate politics, Mann tells the "hockey stick" story, exposing the forces behind the denialist rhetoric, refuting the charges of disinformation campaigns, and eloquently conveying the importance of both doing great science and communicating its societal implications to a wider public.

(Paul R. Ehrlich, co-author of The Dominant Animal: Human Evolution and the Environment and Humanity on a Tightrope 2/19/2012)

Although not initially of his own choosing, Michael Mann has been the most important, resilient, and outspoken warrior in the climate battle--responding to threats and persecution with courage and resolve every step of the way. Anyone who cares about the climate issue must read his fascinating--and enraging--story.

(Chris Mooney, author of Unscientific America: How Scientific Illiteracy Threatens Our Future 2/27/2012)

In The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars, Michael Mann presents his conviction that climate change is real and potentially deadly, and defends his now famous "Hockey Stick Graph." A truly readable book on a topic that will remain evergreen.

(James Lovelock, author of A New Look at Life on Earth and The Revenge of Gaia )

A must read to appreciate the endless disinformation campaign by climate change deniers at the highest levels of government and corporate America...and the chilling, but serious implications of the crusade to discredit distinguished scientists like Michael Mann.

(Sherwood Boehlert, Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives 1983-2007, former chairman of the House Science Committee )

As one of the nation's leading climate researchers, no one has felt the brunt of the attacks from politicians and the fossil fuel industry more than Michael Mann. This is his personal account from the center of the maelstrom, documenting the lies and distortions about his work and his heroic efforts to stand up for scientific truth.

(Henry Waxman, Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives, former chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee )

If you don't believe our climate is changing, read this book. Dr. Mann will change your mind. For us, it's a war of words. Preserve the Earth, and pass the ammunition.

(Bill Nye the Science Guy )

In this meticulous and engaging brief on climate change research and the political backlash to legitimate scientific work, Penn State professor Mann narrates the fight against misinformation from the inside.Publishers Weekly

(Publishers Weekly )

An important and disturbing account of the fossil-fuel industry's well-funded public-relations campaign to sow doubt about the validity of the science of climate change...This blistering indictment of corporate-funded chicanery demands a wide audience.Kirkus Reviews (starred review)Kirkus Reviews (starred review)Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

(Kirkus Reviews (starred review) )

And if you read just one book on climate change, make it Michael E. Mann's riveting exposé of disinformation and denial....

(Irish Times )

...the best part, in my science-geeky opinion, is readers of this book will enjoy a dazzling, informative tour of the science underlying climatology and especially the analysis that went into the diagram that caused all the ruckus, first published in Nature by Mann, Bradley and Hughes in 1998: the Hockey Stick.

(DarkSyde Daily Kos )

A harrowing ride through the politics of truth and denial.Huffington Post

(Shawn Lawrence Otto Huffington Post )

Review

If you don't believe our climate is changing, read this book. Dr. Mann will change your mind. For us, it's a war of words. Preserve the Earth, and pass the ammunition.

(Bill Nye the Science Guy ©)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Columbia University Press (March 6, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 023115254X
• ISBN-13: 978-0231152549
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.3 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (215 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #31,442 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > Science & Math > Environment > Environmentalism
  • #7 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Earth Sciences > Climatology
  • #15 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > Public Affairs & Policy > Environmental Policy

More About the Author

Dr. Michael E. Mann is Distinguished Professor of Meteorology at Penn State University, with joint appointments in the Department of Geosciences and the Earth and Environmental Systems Institute (EESI). He is also director of the Penn State Earth System Science Center (ESSC).

Dr. Mann received his undergraduate degrees in Physics and Applied Math from the University of California at Berkeley, an M.S. degree in Physics from Yale University, and a Ph.D. in Geology & Geophysics from Yale University. His research involves the use of theoretical models and observational data to better understand Earth's climate system.

Dr. Mann was a Lead Author on the Observed Climate Variability and Change chapter of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Third Scientific Assessment Report in 2001 and was organizing committee chair for the National Academy of Sciences Frontiers of Science in 2003. He has received a number of honors and awards including NOAA's outstanding publication award in 2002 and selection by Scientific American as one of the fifty leading visionaries in science and technology in 2002. He contributed, with other IPCC authors, to the award of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. He was awarded the Hans Oeschger Medal of the European Geosciences Union in 2012. He is a Fellow of both the American Geophysical Union and the American Meteorological Society

Dr. Mann is author of more than 150 peer-reviewed and edited publications, and has published two books: Dire Predictions: Understanding Global Warming in 2008 and The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars: Dispatches from the Front Lines, in 2012. He is also a co-founder and avid contributor to the award-winning website "RealClimate.org".

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Necessary Read! April 11, 2013

By LeLe

Format:Hardcover

Professor Michael E. Mann's book is an eye opener, and if you're looking to learn about what is going on, and I mean what is really going on with our Earth, then READ THIS! It's so important to read because it's an insider's game. Us average American citizens don't spend our every hour researching climate science so our government is capable of keeping us in the dark on the manner. Michael E. Mann has put himself on the front lines of the climate battle, and gone from only a climate scientist to a soldier in a political and legal war over the subject. That's the great thing about reading The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars because it takes away all the political aspects, and gets down to the hard facts that so many are trying to cover up such as the conservative Republicans. Michael E. Mann is sure to become a hero of yours after reading the book. I especially love that he starts the book setting the record straight, which is so important in my opinion. His style of reading makes the complex relatively easy to understand, and his character shines through his writing. He covers topics that cannot be ignored any longer. Fossil fuel burning has reached 31.6 gigatons in 2011, which is up 3.2 percent since 2010!! He makes a great analogy to the way scientists are treated by politicians trying to cover up our warming Earth. He calls it "the serengeti strategy." He writes, "The climate change deniers isolate individual scientists just as predators on the Serengeti Plain of Africa hunt their prey: picking off vulnerable individuals from the rest of the herd." It's hard to deny Dr. Michael's data because he and his team have used thousands of years of evidence from around the globe, and used "principal component analysis" to target factors most responsible for change. Read it, you won't regret it.

520 of 664 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A good scientist acting with integrity February 10, 2012

By Stephen S. Mulkey

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have been directly involved in the hockey stick war. I have been been an active research ecologist for over 20 years, and during the last 10 years I have focused on climate change and its effects on living systems. During part of my recent career, I was employed as science advisor to the Century Commission for a Sustainable Florida, a legislatively mandated commission. In March of 2007, while giving an invited report on climate change to a select committee of the Florida legislature, a conservative legislator rose from his seat and declared me to be a liar and demanded that I be dismissed. Indeed, I was asked to step from the podium. Only one newspaper in the state carried the story, and my employers, who were GOP appointees, did not so much as apologize for my treatment. Democracy in action, right?

My sin? I had shown the hockey stick. When I approached the legislator who had objected, I discovered that he did not know that the National Academy and reviewed Michael Mann's work and found it to be fundamentally sound. Indeed, it was not apparent that he even knew of the existence of the US National Academy. After the climate gate emails were released, the prestigious journal Nature referred to the push back from the oil soaked Irrational Right as a "street fight." I could not agree more.

I have carefully read and evaluated Mann's work and I find it to be of the highest standards of scientific integrity. He has been vindicated by numerous reviews. Despite continued harassment, he continues to find time to do excellent research. I have the greatest respect for him as a colleague and role model.

The story that Mann recounts in this book is horrific and indicative of the demise of our most cherished institutions. The primary strategy of the industry funded hacks who claim to be scientists is to attack the messenger. I recently spoke at a conference where one of these credentialed, unscrupulous scientists-for-hire began his talk by attacking the personal integrity of John Holdren, Ralph Cicerone, and Jane Lubchenco, all scientists who adhere to the highest standards of integrity. Later in his talk, this scoundrel showed slides of a crayfish and crab which had grown larger in acidified water. He used this as proof that ocean acidification was actually good for shelled organisms. The bald face lie in this is that these two organisms have chitinous exoskeletons, rather than calcarious shells. This is typical of the tactics that I have observed. It is a scorched-earth strategy to destroy the credibility of our most esteemed scientists and scientific establishments.

To date 32 national academies have endorsed the fundamental reality of human caused climate change. Numerous professional organizations have also made clear statements to support the mainstream science. 97% of all climate scientists agree. NSF, NASA, NOAA, USDA, the NPS, and the CDC have active research programs predicated on the reality of human-caused climate change. The clarity of the climate change threat could not be greater. It is most sobering to realize that our present emissions trajectory will result in a global average warming of over 5 degrees C by 2100. Such a planet will not sustain civilization in any recognizable form. The excess CO2 that is pumped into the air today will affect our planet for thousands of years into the future. I am not an alarmist, but I am alarmed. You should be too.

I urge everyone to read Mann's book. It is well written and compelling. Any publishing scientist who reads it will likely be chilled to the bone. I have contributed to the climate scientist legal defense fund, and urge all of you to do the same. [...]

Stephen Mulkey, PhD
President, Unity College
Unity, ME 04988

24 of 28 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Dark and the Coming Dawn November 5, 2012

By ElliottCB

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is the story of a modern Inquisition, the persecution of innocent men and the courage and resolution of at least one man to stand up to the bullying of government, corporations and a press alternating between the psychopathic and the craven, irredeemably corrupted by the doctrine of meretricious balance and far too close to the politicians and directors it should be holding to account. It is the story of a war on science and on scientists tried for heresy. It is the story of the denialist David armed with only Republican Party orthodoxy, the Murdoch press and the backing of Exxon against a terrifying Goliath wielding the irresistible might of an academic salary. It might make you feel like slapping someone. It certainly made me feel that way.

The story ends well. It was issued before Sandy intervened in the US Presidential race, so it may end even better than Mann documents. Either way, even if US politics does not wake up this year, scientists seem to have done. The denialists have been poking the sleeping Zeus of scientific comradeship and now pebbles are starting to stir on the slopes of Psiloritis, ancient Olympus. Mann's last chapter details this awakening conscience and leaves one feeling soothed after the preceding apoplexy.

Mann is quite a man. The sustained barrage of defamation that he details here beggars belief, and while it was by no means focused solely on himself he has been the most consistently resolute and combative among its chosen victims. I'm not sure I wouldn't have been stirred to despair or violence. In the end, however, truth always wins out - as Feynmann observed, you can't fool reality - and Mann's resolution is vindicated. In case after case, investigations by Congress, Parliament and academe exonerate the defamed. In case after case,shoddy research by denialist stooges is torn down by the slow, finely-grinding wheels of subsequent research. Mann documents all this without resorting to polemic.

He also includes the clearest exposition of the technique of principal component analysis I have ever encountered, one informed by Stephen Jay Gould, another hero of mine. Feynmann and Twain are drawn into the mix, rendering a perfectly seasoned dish. It is worth commenting that Mann's objectivity appears to be above reproach. The only new feedback mechanism he has ever advocated - and I checked - was actually negative, and thus would have tended to undermine the strong conclusions on anthropogenic warming with which he is associated. A far cry from Lindzen, the sign of whose feedbacks you know before they are even published, or Christy and Spencer who were caught out with four consecutive errors of convenient sign without so much as a subtle clearing of the throat from Judith Curry.

I nominate the following heroes among this pantheon, aside from Mann himself: John McCain and Sherwood Boehlert, for having the intellectual courage to break party lines and stand up for the scientists. The list of villains is too long and depressing to recount, and of course I decline to plug them in to the oxygen mask of publicity. Fasten your seatbelt before reading this, and lay in a supply of chestnuts to roast in front of the pyres the inquisitors seem no longer to be destined to use.