Gristmill's Gar Lipow on what to call the global climate shifts driven by rising carbon dioxide levels:
What about the term 'global warming'?…Scientists don't like it because it describes only one result of the disaster we are creating. On the plus side, it is a known 'brand,' and most people know it is not a good thing. On the minus side, the flaw that most climate scientists dislike also makes it vulnerable to delayers who use every snowy day as an excuse to exclaim, 'ha ha! Where is your global warming now?'
What about Amory Lovins' term 'global weirding'? Accurate and a good crack, but I think it would be a mistake to make a joke the primary term for a topic of serious discussion. 'Climate disruption' is better. It's both accurate and a description with a negative connotation. But I think it has too many syllables for maximum emotional punch. 'Climate chaos' carries almost the same connotation, but to me comes across as a stronger term.
