The Overview report is liberally sprinkled with images of past catastrophes unrelated to climate change and maps that use a color scheme that make the country look as though it is on fire. For example, the discussion of ghost forests in the section on Southeastern impacts both conflates the existing saltwater intrusion with climate change, and, by the stark nature of the photo, appeals to emotion. Saltwater intrusion can be caused by several dynamics unrelated to climate change, including aquifer depletion, land subsidence, re-routing of surface waterways through development patterns, and so on. The discussion of the Oakland fire, in the section on Western impacts is equally misleading. The factors leading to fire extent and frequency are only partially dependent on climate.
Human action plays a more significant role, as studies of fire-suppression policy have shown.
The National Assessment Report is badly flawed by a set of biases that permeate virtually all elements of the Overview Report. While the technical appendices are more cautious and display less bias, the Overview Section of the report, clearly the main element of the Report intended for public consumption, is misleading, and needs extensive revision in order to present a balanced portrayal of the current understanding of climate change and the risks it poses for future generations. Dr. Kenneth Green is Director of the Environmental Program at Reason Public Policy Institute. Questions People Ask About the Science of Climate Change. Dr. Green recently has completed expert reviews for the three volumes of the forthcoming IPCC Third Assessment Report, as well as the National Assessment Report reviewed here.