Welcome! Climate Science Forum is a quarterly newsletter for the public on the science of climate and climate change. Our purpose is to report news in climate science, analyze its meaning for you, and present scientific viewpoints on climate changes and climate variations. By writing in easily understandable language, we hope that you may use these pages to educate other people on climate matters, and to shape your decisions on climate policies and strategies. Prominent investigators have reached differing conclusions on how the climate of Earth has changed in the remote past, is changing now, or will change in the new century. The babble of scientific opinions frustrates people who are making decisions that affect the future of our societies and our planet. It may also obscure the possible paths that societies may follow to deal with global changes. We believe, though, that you need to understand the problems in climate science and hear the range of scientific viewpoints on them, in order to make well-informed choices.

       The newsletter assumes no editorial position in any matter of science or policy. Rather, we host a “Forum” in which we strive to balance the viewpoints of two or more spokespersons who can articulate a range of interpretations of a key issue in climate science. We are atmospheric scientists who feel a responsibility to report evidence of possible alterations of the Earth itself, and the effects that may follow. Through this online newsletter and its print version, we will provide you with concise evidence of climate variations and changes, along with various interpretations.

Each issue includes:

• News articles on climate science, with citations or links to original articles;
• Reports from scientific conferences and meetings;
• Climate Science Classroom: While some matters in climate science may be complex or involve different fields of science, decision makers must be able to understand points of agreement or lack of agreement;
• A Climate Forum, where we present two or more interpretations of a current issue in climate science;
• Climate Products — maps of recent climate variations and their impacts, and seasonal climate predictions;
• Letters and commentary.
  

       Let us know what you find that is or is not valuable. We welcome your letters by e-mail at
editor@climate-science.org
or by mail at Climate Science Forum, P.O. Box 3593, Silver Spring, MD 20918.

Michael A Fortune
Editor in Chief