sonny-dev/inters-qdu huggingface dataset:
Query: Benny Peiser, the Oreskes critic, retracted his criticism.

Relevant passages:
Benny Peiser <=SEP=> Benny Josef Peiser ( born 1957 ) is a social anthropologist specialising in the environmental and socio-economic impact of physical activity on health . He was a senior lecturer in the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences at Liverpool John Moores University ( LJMU ) and is a visiting fellow at the University of Buckingham .   Peiser established the Cambridge Conference Network in 1997 . Peiser acknowledges that he is `` not a climate scientist '' and has `` never claimed to be one . '' His interest as a social anthropologist , is in `` how climate change is portrayed as a potential disaster and how we respond to that . ''   As an outspoken climate change sceptic , Peiser became director of the newly established UK lobbying group Global Warming Policy Foundation in 2009 . He serves as co-editor of the journal , Energy & Environment and is a regular contributor to Canada 's National Post.The National Post , former media magnate Conrad Black 's national flagship title was established to provide a voice for Canadian conservatives and to compete with Canada 's The Globe and Mail , the establishment newspaper with a liberal bias in Canadian newspapers . Outside Toronto , the National Post was built on the printing and distribution infrastructure of Black 's national newspaper chain , formerly called Southam Newspapers , that included papers such as the Ottawa Citizen , Montreal Gazette , Edmonton Journal , Calgary Herald , and Vancouver Sun and Benny Peiser continues to participate in stories with these newspapers as well .

Naomi Oreskes <=SEP=> Naomi Oreskes ( born November 25 , 1958 ) is an American historian of science . She became Professor of the History of Science and Affiliated Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Harvard University in 2013 , after 15 years as Professor of History and Science Studies at the University of California , San Diego . She has worked on studies of geophysics , environmental issues such as global warming , and the history of science . In 2010 , Oreskes co-authored Merchants of Doubt which identified some parallels between the climate change debate and earlier public controversies .
Query: Postma's model contains many simple errors; in no way does Postma undermine the existence or necessity of the greenhouse effect.

Relevant passages:
Occam's razor <=SEP=> Occam 's razor ( also Ockham 's razor ; Latin : lex parsimoniae `` law of parsimony '' ) is a problem-solving principle attributed to William of Ockham ( c. 1287 -- 1347 ) , who was an English Franciscan friar , scholastic philosopher , and theologian . His principle can be interpreted as stating Among competing hypotheses , the one with the fewest assumptions should be selected .   In science , Occam 's razor is used as a heuristic guide in the development of theoretical models , rather than as a rigorous arbiter between candidate models . In the scientific method , Occam 's razor is not considered an irrefutable principle of logic or a scientific result ; the preference for simplicity in the scientific method is based on the falsifiability criterion . For each accepted explanation of a phenomenon , there may be an extremely large , perhaps even incomprehensible , number of possible and more complex alternatives , because one can always burden failing explanations with ad hoc hypotheses to prevent them from being falsified ; therefore , simpler theories are preferable to more complex ones because they are more testable .

Population genetics <=SEP=> Population genetics is a subfield of genetics that deals with genetic differences within and between populations , and is a part of evolutionary biology . Studies in this branch of biology examine such phenomena as adaptation , speciation , and population structure .   Population genetics was a vital ingredient in the emergence of the modern evolutionary synthesis . Its primary founders were Sewall Wright , J. B. S. Haldane and Ronald Fisher , who also laid the foundations for the related discipline of quantitative genetics . Traditionally a highly mathematical discipline , modern population genetics encompasses theoretical , lab , and field work . Population genetic models are used both for statistical inference from DNA sequence data and for proof/disproof of concept .   What sets population genetics apart today from newer , more phenotypic approaches to modelling evolution , such as evolutionary game theory and adaptive dynamics , is its emphasis on genetic phenomena as dominance , epistasis , and the degree to which genetic recombination breaks up linkage disequilibrium . This makes it appropriate for comparison to population genomics data .
Query: Trudeau's carbon tax will raise gas prices by 11 cents/litre.

Relevant passages:
Carbon tax <=SEP=> A carbon tax is a tax levied on the carbon content of fuels . It is a form of carbon pricing . Carbon is present in every hydrocarbon fuel ( coal , petroleum , and natural gas ) and converted to carbon dioxide and other products when combusted . In contrast , non-combustion energy sources -- wind , sunlight , geothermal , hydropower , and nuclear -- do not convert hydrocarbons to . is a heat-trapping `` greenhouse '' gas which represents a negative externality on the climate system ( see scientific opinion on global warming ) . Since GHG emissions caused by the combustion of fossil fuels are closely related to the carbon content of the respective fuels , a tax on these emissions can be levied by taxing the carbon content of fossil fuels at any point in the product cycle of the fuel .   Carbon tax offers social and economic benefits . It is a tax that increases revenue without significantly altering the economy while simultaneously promoting objectives of climate change policy . The objective of a carbon tax is to reduce the harmful and unfavorable levels of carbon dioxide emissions , thereby decelerating climate change and its negative effects on the environment and human health .   Carbon taxes offer a potentially cost-effective means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions . From an economic perspective , carbon taxes are a type of Pigovian tax . They help to address the problem of emitters of greenhouse gases not facing the full social cost of their actions . Carbon taxes can be a regressive tax , in that they may directly or indirectly affect low-income groups disproportionately . The regressive impact of carbon taxes could be addressed by using tax revenues to favour low-income groups .   A number of countries have implemented carbon taxes or energy taxes that are related to carbon content . Most environmentally related taxes with implications for greenhouse gas emissions in OECD countries are levied on energy products and motor vehicles , rather than on emissions directly .   Opposition to increased environmental regulation such as carbon taxes often centers on concerns that firms might relocate and/or people might lose their jobs . It has been argued , however , that carbon taxes are more efficient than direct regulation and may even lead to higher employment ( see footnotes ) . Many large users of carbon resources in electricity generation , such as the United States , Russia , and China , are resisting carbon taxation .
Query: 94 percent of the carbon emissions which you so want to get rid of are caused by nature.

Relevant passages:
Greenhouse gas <=SEP=> A greenhouse gas ( abbrev . GHG ) is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range . This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect . The primary greenhouse gases in Earth 's atmosphere are water vapor , carbon dioxide , methane , nitrous oxide , and ozone . Without greenhouse gases , the average temperature of Earth 's surface would be about -18 ° C , rather than the present average of 15 ° C . In the Solar System , the atmospheres of Venus , Mars and Titan also contain gases that cause a greenhouse effect .   Human activities since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution ( taken as the year 1750 ) have produced a 40 % increase in the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide , from 280 ppm in 1750 to 406 ppm in early 2017 . This increase has occurred despite the uptake of a large portion of the emissions by various natural `` sinks '' involved in the carbon cycle . Anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions ( i.e. , emissions produced by human activities ) come from combustion of fossil fuels , principally coal , oil , and natural gas , along with deforestation , soil erosion and animal agriculture .   It has been estimated that if greenhouse gas emissions continue at the present rate , Earth 's surface temperature could exceed historical values as early as 2047 , with potentially harmful effects on ecosystems , biodiversity and the livelihoods of people worldwide . Recent estimates suggest that on the current emissions trajectory the Earth could pass a threshold of 2 ° C global warming , which the United Nations ' IPCC designated as the upper limit to avoid `` dangerous '' global warming , by 2036 .
Query: A video shows Koko the gorilla spontaneously using sign language to issue a warning about climate change.

Relevant passages:
Scientific consensus on climate change <=SEP=> There is currently a strong scientific consensus that the Earth is warming and that this warming is mainly caused by human activities. This consensus is supported by various studies of scientists' opinions and by position statements of scientific organizations, many of which explicitly agree with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) synthesis reports.  Nearly all actively publishing climate scientists (97–98%) support the consensus on anthropogenic climate change, and the remaining 2% of contrarian studies either cannot be replicated or contain errors.

Koko (gorilla) <=SEP=> Hanabiko `` Koko '' ( born July 4 , 1971 ) is a female western lowland gorilla who is known for having learned a large number of hand signs from a modified version of American Sign Language ( ASL ) .   Her instructor and caregiver , animal psychologist Francine `` Penny '' Patterson , reports that Koko is able to understand more than 1,000 signs of what Patterson calls `` Gorilla Sign Language '' ( GSL ) . In contrast to other experiments attempting to teach sign language to non-human primates , Patterson simultaneously exposed Koko to spoken English from an early age . Reports state that Koko understands approximately 2,000 words of spoken English , in addition to the signs . Koko 's life and learning process has been described by Patterson and some of her collaborators in a number of books , peer reviewed articles , and on a website .   As with other great ape language experiments , the extent to which Koko has mastered and demonstrates language through the use of these signs is disputed . But it is generally accepted that she does not use syntax or grammar , and that her use of language does not exceed that of a young human child .   Koko was born at the San Francisco Zoo and has lived most of her life in Woodside , California , although a move to a sanctuary on Maui , Hawaii , has been planned since the 1990s . The name is a reference to her date of birth , the Fourth of July . Koko gained public attention upon initial reportage of her adopting a kitten as a pet .
Query: Alaska Sen. Mark Begich "is on record supporting a carbon tax, even pushing Harry Reid to make it a priority."

Relevant passages:
Mark Begich <=SEP=> Mark Peter Begich ( -LSB- ˈbɛɡɪtʃ -RSB- born March 30 , 1962 ) is an American politician who was a United States Senator from Alaska from 2009 to 2015 . A member of the Democratic Party , he was Mayor of Anchorage from 2003 to 2009 .   Born in Anchorage , Begich is the son of former U.S. Representative Nick Begich Sr. . He was elected to the Anchorage Assembly at the age of 26 . He eventually served as chairman for three years , before leaving the Assembly in 1998 . Begich ran two unsuccessful campaigns for mayor in 1994 and 2000 before being elected in 2003 . In the 2008 Senate election , Begich narrowly defeated incumbent Ted Stevens , the longest-serving Republican member of the Senate of all time .   In the 2014 Senate election , Begich was narrowly defeated in his bid for reelection by former Alaska Attorney General Dan Sullivan . Following completion of his term in the U.S. Senate , he became a policy advisor on Native American affairs in the Washington , D.C.-based law firm of Sonosky , Chambers , Sachse , Endreson & Perry LLP .
Query: Australian households will benefit to the tune of $550 a year if the carbon tax is axed.

Relevant passages:
Carbon tax <=SEP=> A carbon tax is a tax levied on the carbon content of fuels . It is a form of carbon pricing . Carbon is present in every hydrocarbon fuel ( coal , petroleum , and natural gas ) and converted to carbon dioxide and other products when combusted . In contrast , non-combustion energy sources -- wind , sunlight , geothermal , hydropower , and nuclear -- do not convert hydrocarbons to . is a heat-trapping `` greenhouse '' gas which represents a negative externality on the climate system ( see scientific opinion on global warming ) . Since GHG emissions caused by the combustion of fossil fuels are closely related to the carbon content of the respective fuels , a tax on these emissions can be levied by taxing the carbon content of fossil fuels at any point in the product cycle of the fuel .   Carbon tax offers social and economic benefits . It is a tax that increases revenue without significantly altering the economy while simultaneously promoting objectives of climate change policy . The objective of a carbon tax is to reduce the harmful and unfavorable levels of carbon dioxide emissions , thereby decelerating climate change and its negative effects on the environment and human health .   Carbon taxes offer a potentially cost-effective means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions . From an economic perspective , carbon taxes are a type of Pigovian tax . They help to address the problem of emitters of greenhouse gases not facing the full social cost of their actions . Carbon taxes can be a regressive tax , in that they may directly or indirectly affect low-income groups disproportionately . The regressive impact of carbon taxes could be addressed by using tax revenues to favour low-income groups .   A number of countries have implemented carbon taxes or energy taxes that are related to carbon content . Most environmentally related taxes with implications for greenhouse gas emissions in OECD countries are levied on energy products and motor vehicles , rather than on emissions directly .   Opposition to increased environmental regulation such as carbon taxes often centers on concerns that firms might relocate and/or people might lose their jobs . It has been argued , however , that carbon taxes are more efficient than direct regulation and may even lead to higher employment ( see footnotes ) . Many large users of carbon resources in electricity generation , such as the United States , Russia , and China , are resisting carbon taxation .
Query: Big rooftop solar's plan forces Nevada families who don't have solar panels to pay higher power bills to subsidize rooftop solar.

Relevant passages:
Net metering <=SEP=> Net metering ( or net energy metering , NEM ) allows consumers who generate some or all of their own electricity to use that electricity anytime , instead of when it is generated . This is particularly important with wind and solar , which are non-dispatchable . Monthly net metering allows consumers to use solar power generated during the day at night , or wind from a windy day later in the month . Annual net metering rolls over a net kilowatt credit to the following month , allowing solar power that was generated in July to be used in December , or wind power from March in August .   Net metering policies can vary significantly by country and by state or province : if net metering is available , if and how long banked credits can be retained , and how much the credits are worth ( retail/wholesale ) . Most net metering laws involve monthly roll over of kWh credits , a small monthly connection fee , require monthly payment of deficits ( i.e. normal electric bill ) , and annual settlement of any residual credit . Unlike a feed-in tariff ( FIT ) , which requires two meters , net metering uses a single , bi-directional meter and can measure current flowing in two directions .  Net metering can be implemented solely as an accounting procedure , and requires no special metering , or even any prior arrangement or notification .   Net metering is an enabling policy designed to foster private investment in renewable energy .
Query: Bill Nye proposed penalizing families with too many children to reduce population growth and slow climate change.

Relevant passages:
Human overpopulation <=SEP=> Human overpopulation occurs when the ecological footprint of a human population in a specific geographical location exceeds the carrying capacity of the place occupied by that group . Overpopulation can further be viewed , in a long term perspective , as existing when a population can not be maintained given the rapid depletion of non-renewable resources or given the degradation of the capacity of the environment to give support to the population .   The term human overpopulation refers to the relationship between the entire human population and its environment : the Earth , or to smaller geographical areas such as countries . Overpopulation can result from an increase in births , a decline in mortality rates , an increase in immigration , or an unsustainable biome and depletion of resources . It is possible for very sparsely populated areas to be overpopulated if the area has a meagre or non-existent capability to sustain life ( e.g. a desert ) . Advocates of population moderation cite issues like quality of life , carrying capacity , and risk of starvation as a basis to argue against continuing high human population growth and for population decline . Scientists suggest that the human impact on the environment as a result of overpopulation , profligate consumption and proliferation of technology has pushed the planet into a new geological epoch known as the Anthropocene .

Human population planning <=SEP=> Human population planning is the practice of intentionally managing the rate of growth of a human population . Historically human population planning has been implemented with the goal of increasing the rate of human population growth . However , in the period from the 1950s to the 1980s , concerns about global population growth and its effects on poverty , environmental degradation and political stability led to efforts to reduce human population growth rates . More recently , some countries , such as Iran and Spain , have begun efforts to increase their birth rates once again .   While population planning can involve measures that improve people 's lives by giving them greater control of their reproduction , a few programs , most notably the Chinese government 's `` one-child policy '' , have resorted to coercive measures .
Query: Climate scientist James Hansen: "we have until perhaps 50 years from now," or maybe a little longer "and at that point, we are looking at 10, 20, 30 feet of sea-level rise."

Relevant passages:
James Hansen <=SEP=> James Edward Hansen ( born 29 March 1941 ) is an American adjunct professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Columbia University . He is best known for his research in climatology , his 1988 Congressional testimony on climate change that helped raise broad awareness of global warming , and his advocacy of action to avoid dangerous climate change . In recent years he has become a climate activist to mitigate the effects of climate change , on a few occasions leading to his arrest .   In 2000 , Hansen advanced an alternative view of global warming over the last 100 years , arguing that during that time frame the negative forcing via aerosols and the positive forcing via largely balanced each other out , and that the 0.74 ± 0.18 ° C net rise in average global temperatures could mostly be explained by greenhouse gases other than carbon dioxide , such as methane and chlorofluorocarbons . However , even then he wrote `` the future balance of forcings is likely to shift toward dominance of CO2 over aerosols ''

Sea level rise <=SEP=> A sea level rise is an increase in the volume of water in the world 's oceans , resulting in an increase in global mean sea level . Sea level rise is usually attributed to global climate change by thermal expansion of the water in the oceans and by melting of Ice sheets and glaciers on land . Melting of floating ice shelves or icebergs at sea raises sea levels only slightly .   Sea level rise at specific locations may be more or less than the global average . Local factors might include tectonic effects , subsidence of the land , tides , currents , storms , etc. .  Sea level rise is expected to continue for centuries . Because of the slow inertia , long response time for parts of the climate system , it has been estimated that we are already committed to a sea-level rise of approximately 2.3 m for each degree Celsius of temperature rise within the next 2,000 years . IPCC Summary for Policymakers , AR5 , 2014 , indicated that the global mean sea level rise will continue during the 21st century , very likely at a faster rate than observed from 1971 to 2010 . Projected rates and amounts vary . A January 2017 NOAA report suggests a range of GMSL rise of 0.3 -- 2.5 m possible during the 21st century .   Sea level rises can considerably influence human populations in coastal and island regions and natural environments like marine ecosystems .
Query: Despite attention on global warming, "fewer Americans carpool today to work than carpooled in 1980" and "SUVs have never been a larger proportion of the vehicles being sold in this country."

Relevant passages:
Sport utility vehicle <=SEP=> A sport utility vehicle or suburban utility vehicle ( SUV ) is a vehicle classified as a light truck , but operated as a family vehicle . SUV 's are similar to a large station wagon or estate car , though typically featuring tall interior packaging , high H-point seating , high center of gravity , high ground-clearance and especially four - or all-wheel-drive capability for on - or off-road ability . Some SUVs include the towing capacity of a pickup truck with the passenger-carrying space of a minivan or large sedan .   Popular in the late-1990s and early -- mid-2000s , SUVs sales temporarily declined due to high oil prices and a declining economy . The traditional truck-based SUV is gradually being supplanted by the crossover SUV , which uses an automobile platform for lighter weight and better fuel efficiency . By 2010 , SUV sales around the world were growing , in spite of high gas prices .