Thankfully, we see this argument less and less these days as the evidence continues to point in the same direction, to a simply overwhelming degree. Still, we all know how hard it is to change someone's beliefs on climate change. Political and social factors amplify emotional attachment to positions, and arguing about it rarely changes minds. One great book that talks about this (and offers solutions) is Katherine Hayhoe's new book Saving Us.

That said, one of the key messages in our book transcends climate skepticism. Our argument that megastorms can trigger violent conflict that spreads far beyond the point of impact is one that both people aware of the climate crisis and even skeptics can understand and relate to. We can all see how storms are stronger and hitting in strange new places, after all. If our work helps in some very small way to bring realists and skeptics together, raising societal awareness of the worst consequences of climate change, then we will feel very fortunate indeed.