[protanopia]

Are you asking about the weather in one specific year? Weather is not climate.

[jknoepfler]

I'm well aware of the distinction between weather and climate. I was asking if the climate change skeptic would take a bet that the global mean temperature (operationalized in some acceptable way) would decline in 2021 compared to 2020. If they believe that the earth is not, on average, getting hotter, then they should be indifferent to this bet (inter-year variation should be random around a fixed point).

I don't think any intellectually honest person is indifferent to this bet. Everyone believes there is a solid chance that the climate is actually getting warmer, and almost no one would wager serious money at even odds on a globally colder 2021.

If you wouldn't bet against the climate getting warmer, then I don't think you have any place calling yourself a "climate change skeptic"

In a similar vein, I invest in index funds because I'm not a market skeptic. The market (at the moment) tends to grow year over year. I put my money where my mouth is in the market, I'd do the same on global temperature, and I'd win (on average, if I bet year over year, unless something changes dramatically).

[lazyjones]

> If you wouldn't bet against the climate getting warmer, then I don't think you have any place calling yourself a "climate change skeptic"

The climate isn't getting warmer or colder just because next year's temperature does.

[bannable]

Yes, weather is climate. But that isn't what OP said.

[protanopia]

Climate is long term patterns. Weather is what is happening at a specific time. If the distinction wasn't made then someone could argue that a cold winter day disproves warming.