ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the way in which uncertainties like physical to socio-economic concerns, are standardised and characterised. If standard scientific methodology and burden of proof are followed, an intricate chain of cause–effect relationships is required to establish the nature of potential outcomes from increased Greenhouse gases (GHGs). A key controversy has been the extent to which anthropogenic additions to the atmospheric concentration of GHGs will raise Earth’s surface temperature. The dominant weak uncertainty approach takes such information and fits it within a probability density function. The concept of a usual, typical or normal temperature is derived from observations over time. A time series data set for a given period gives the average or mean temperature which will be used as a reference value or status quo. The relevance of variability seems to be easily neglected while the concentration upon averages can influence the policy debate.
