Climate change is such a serious social issue that entire careers and reputations are at stake. Recently, Heidi Cullen of The Weather Channel suggested that the American Meteorological Society revoke their "Seal of Approval" for any television meteorologist who expresses skepticism that human activity is creating a climate catastrophe. "Clearly, the AMS doesn't agree that global warming can be blamed on cyclical weather patterns," she says, "It's like allowing a meteorologist to go on-air and say that hurricanes rotate clockwise and tsunamis are caused by the weather. It's not a political statement...it's just an incorrect statement."
And just last week a dispute erupted in Oregon, where Gov. Ted Kulongoski has considered firing the state's climatologist George Taylor, who has said human activity isn't the chief cause of global climate change. "It seems if scientists don't express the views of the political establishment, they will be threatened and that is a discomforting thought," said Alabama state climatologist John Christie, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
Indeed, the notion that certain lines of scientific inquiry be prohibited is unacceptable and runs against the spirit of academic due diligence. Part of the problem here is that bona fide research is often conflated with the malevolent work of the denial industry; there is a growing network of fake citizens' groups, extremists, and bogus scientific bodies who are claiming that the science of global warming is inconclusive. These groups, to no one's surprise, are the sorry spawn of corporations who have the most to lose in the struggle against greenhouse gas emissions. Exxon is one company that certainly comes to mind.
Exposing Disinformation
Again, like the Holocaust deniers, these groups are shielded by freedom-of-speech laws. At the same time these disinformation engines need to be exposed, and it is our responsibility as concerned citizens, writers and activists to make that happen. Scientists and highly influential figures also need to wade into the fray — and they have. Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth has been tremendously influential, and groups like the Union of Concerned Scientists are working to reveal scientific abuses and interference.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Doug Hunter
The billions spent to bolster global warming claims and hysteria and the trillions the corrupt politicians stand to gain by fighting it are much more influential than the few million spent by it's skeptics. Exxon got tons of bad publicity for offering a meager $10K to a scientist to wrote a critique of the UN report while people like Branson are praised and worshipped in the media for offering $25 million to fuel the hysteria.
The media has helped turn any 'debate' over global warming into an emotional hysteria. When arguments become emotional rather than logical the left always wins. Skeptical types are talking alternative theories and wasting time researching logical arguments to why the planet will survive through this relatively minor change while alarmists are screaming about their kids and the end of the planet.
My advice to skeptics.
1) Drop the logic and theories (you probably aren't a scientist anyway) and concentrate on emotional appeals. Millions died from mesquito borne diseases becuase DDT was banned, ethanol will result in starvation of people who can't afford increased staple prices. Focus on the suffering and millions that will die here and now because of the strain put on the global economy from fighting a useless war on something that is inevitable (change). How many lives could be saved by the same money thrown at CO2 emissions if it was focused on eradication of disease, nutrition, and education? These problems exist here and now rather than in some computer created scenario.
2) Do anything you can to ensure that US carbon tax stays in the US. The left wants to use Global Warming as a pretext for wealth redistribution through a global trading scheme. Skeptics and alarmists should agree that sending the money to US researchers and universities to come up with a solution will actually be of more benefit than sending money to Guatamala or Kenya. It's an issue where both sides can come together and make a stand. The US will do it's part to work on CO2 emissions but we're not going to pay it in tribute to the UN, we're going to keep it right here in the hands of out best and brightest and come up with the technology that will save the planet just as we always have.
2 - Joe
Very good comments Doug, once you take a step back it's hard not to see how politicized the topic has become, it's like a cult. Global warming has been a back-burner issue for many years now, but since the mid-term elections the media and the pols have given it a new coat of hype and urgency and put it to work full time. If the Dems get the presidency in '08 and put their "science" into law we're going to have another Dark Age.
3 - Dave Nalle
it appears that the right to deny global warming is also in jeopardy.
I'm afraid this is a massive understatement. It's not the right to 'deny' global warming which is under attack, but the right to even question aspects of the theory. Denial implies a decision based more on belief than on science, but in the context of global warming the people who are being attacked are not deniers of fact like the holocaust deniers, but merely scientists who feel that the scientific method has not been fully applied in developing this particular theory. Attacking scientists who are acting in the spirit of the scientific tradition of questioning assumptions and testing the limits of a theory is FAR worse than attacking those who deny historical reality. By equating the two as you do in this article you trivialize the real concerns of those who question aspects of global warming theory.
Dave
4 - Clavos
Excellent comment, Doug, particularly as to the carbon tax.
Using the Global Warming phenomenon as an excuse for redistribution of US wealth is far more dangerous to US than any possible meteorological effect could be.
The time to speak out is now, because as the author of the article discusses, the day may be near when speaking out may no longer be possible.
5 - Dave Nalle
ethanol will result in starvation of people who can't afford increased staple prices
Except that as D'Oh might point out, this wouldn't be an issue if we were sensibly making our ethanol from sugar rather than from corn.
dave
6 - Aku
Nice article. The the global warming camp has an inquisition-like atmosphere is a surprise coming from scientists on others, some of which decry the what they see as a loss of freedom of speech following 9/11 (then again, no one expects the Spanish Inquisition!).
"Except that as D'Oh might point out, this wouldn't be an issue if we were sensibly making our ethanol from sugar rather than from corn."
Yes, but that would most likely mean the dropping of the import tariff on Sugar so the US price can float at the world price. While I sincerely hope this will happen, I doubt it will.
7 - Emry
"The US will do it's part to work on CO2 emissions but we're not going to pay it in tribute to the UN, we're going to keep it right here in the hands of out best and brightest and come up with the technology that will save the planet just as we always have."
The best and brightest have known about Acid Rain for decades and we're still stuck with it.
Rivers and lakes in the US are polluted and the best and the brightest can't fix the problem.
The antiquated internal combustion engine is still fouling the air we breath.
Save the planet???
You're joking!
8 - Brian
It's not true that Oregon governor Kulongoski wants to fire George Taylor, the so-called "state climatologist."
This is a misconception that is being promulgated by those who don't know the facts about the Taylor controversy. Which are, that the state climatologist position was abolished in Oregon, and that Taylor uses that title just because he performs some of the duties of the previous (genuine) state climatologist.
So the governor is entirely justified in asking that Taylor not use a title to which he isn't, well, entitled. There's been no talk of firing Taylor, none at all. I know, since I live in Oregon and have been following this story closely.
9 - Dave Nalle
Interestingly, almost exactly the same situation exists in Virginia. In both cases the offices seem to have been abolished when the long-term office holder became an 'embarassment' because they didn't back global warming theory.
Dave
10 - Dave Nalle
The best and brightest have known about Acid Rain for decades and we're still stuck with it.
If you think today's acid rain problem is even a shadow of what it was in the 1970s, you're sadly confused. We've made enormous progress here. What are you, like 12 or something?
Rivers and lakes in the US are polluted and the best and the brightest can't fix the problem.
When I was a kid you couldn't eat fish you got out of most rivers, or even find them. The Charles River in Boston used to CATCH FIRE because of the volatile waste that was in it. Now almost any river is fishable and swimmable. Again, we've made incredible progress in the last 30 years. Where have you been?
The antiquated internal combustion engine is still fouling the air we breath.
Again, do you live in a different reality? The output of pollutants from modern car engines is negligible compared to even 10 years ago. Have you not noticed that the constant clouds of smog have disappeared from most of our cities? Do you not remember what it was like even 20 years ago when the skies were black with soot and it was hard to breathe outdoors? We're approaching the point where the majority of cars on the road are classified as 'Ultra Low Emission Vehicles', and pretty soon Super ULEVs will dominate and everything else will be ULEVs.
You're fighting a battle we've already won. It's not 1977, it's 2007.
Dave
11 - JustOneMan
Editor...
How come no edits on DAVE NAlLE's name calling...
"What are you, like 12 or something?"
Hmmm..I guess some have more rights of free speech in here than others!!!
JOM
12 - tommyd
The peaceful and brilliant man Ernst Zundel was sentenced to 5 years prison in a German court for "holocaust denial". An abomination of justice if there ever was one. A disgraceful sentence.
Most people will find Zundel's observations deplorable, but Zundel's writings are opinions and obscure opinions at that. In my opinion Germany, Austria, France, etc are no different than Cuba or China. These countries cannot be considered free. BTW, the USA and Canada both participated in the prosecuction of Ernst Zundel.
As for Global Warming, no matter what one believes about the validity of the research, the fact is that American corporations and the US economy NEEDS it's "Nest Big Thing", which is why US corporations (which control the US Government) are going along with the Global Warming thing. I see Global Warming as an opportunity for American research and development, high-tech industry jobs, fueling the economy. Just follow the money to understand why Global Warming is such a hot hot hot issue. It's all about $$$$$.
13 - JustOneMan
Where is the usual ranting and raving from the radical jewish community about the erosion of their "holocaust" franchise?
JOM
14 - Jenn
Firstly, Austria isn't our society, secondly the reason Austria and Germany take the issue of Holocaust denial seriously, is because it's harder for them to ignore the past.. the reminders are there to this day.
Add to that the neo-nazi movements, and the anti-semetism of Islamic extremists.. it's something Austrians and Germans feel viscerally opposed to allowing. I don't blame them. The leftist extremes around the world might not blink an eye over such atrocities, but then again, the leftist extreme doesn't have much of a record on human rights.. also, lest you believe the Nazi movement was solely a right wing phenomenon, think again, it, like fascism had it's roots in an exteme left.
Face it, whether it's the extreme right or extreme left, they are both wrong.. and willing to impose suffering and horror on the most powerless.
15 - Baronius
Dave, you brought back an old memory of mine. I lived in Erie back in the 70's. I was in elementary school. The national authorities talked about how Lake Erie was dead. We used to hang out at the beach all summer. For those who don't know, the Great Lakes are like oceans, extending to the horizon, with waves generated by weather systems you can't even see. It's beautiful.
The environmental movement is smart in that they target kids. I'm not going to make a Nazi Youth comparison as some anti-enviros do, because a lot of groups understand the importance of raising a new generation of supporters. It's those lessons learned in youth that stick with you. For me, the lesson was that environmentlists (they were ecologists back then) lie.
I heard Dennis Miller talk about growing up with the threat of global cooling. I've read similar things on BC. I don't think there's anything the enviros could say to Dennis or me that would convince us of global warming. And if global warming doesn't pan out, the next generation will be so distrustful that they could sit in lava and pretend they don't notice it.
16 - Paul2
The Ernst Zundel case is a very rare and specific case and not open to a generalization for press freedom in a country. Germany guarantees freedom of speech like many other nations. It is for historic reasons that a denial of the holocaust can be prosecuted under very specific circumstances.
Media Freedom Index 2006:
1-Finnland
23-Germany
53-USA (domestic)
114-USA (international)
17 - Deano
"The peaceful and brilliant man Ernst Zundel "
Good Lord, what color is the sky on your world?
I don't object to citing the Zundel case as an example in freedom of speech issues but to describe him as "peaceful and brilliant" is a whopper!
18 - Paul2
sorry, its even worse
Media Freedom Index 2006
1-Finland
23-Germany
53-USA (domestic)
119-USA (international)
19 - Baronius
Paul, that makes us sound awful. The Media Freedom Index gives us a "Satisfactory" rating; let's call it a B. We're in the same range as Japan, Australia, and France.
The report cites our imprisonment of journalists who are protecting sources. And that's bad; I'm not denying it. But when you get into the C's (India, Brazil, Turkey), you start to see beatings and killings.
20 - Clavos
I see Global Warming as an opportunity for American research and development, high-tech industry jobs, fueling the economy. Just follow the money to understand why Global Warming is such a hot hot hot issue. It's all about $$$$$.
And you're not alone, tommyd; so do the movers and shakers in the political and business worlds.
Right now, the $$$$ are going to the climatologists and other scientists who are sounding the alarm.
Once everyone's on board with the idea, and new environmental laws are passed identifying goals to be met, etc., contracts will begin to be awarded, and companies in on the "ground floor" (among them, I bet, the oil companies, who won't give up their pre-eminence in the energy business; they will simply adapt to the new paradigm) will begin (or continue) to prosper enormously.
21 - Paul2
I think it is rather a C+ than a B.
I was just trying to point out that the USA is not "top notch", as many here often imply.
And that putting Austria, France and Germany on the same level as China and Cuba is quite far-fetched (#12 tommyd).
22 - Deano
Right now, the $$$$ are going to the climatologists and other scientists who are sounding the alarm.
Oh yeah. Those millionaire climatologists are just raking it in....Bastards.
23 - Emry
#10..."If you think today's acid rain problem is even a shadow of what it was in the 1970s, you're sadly confused. We've made enormous progress here. What are you, like 12 or something?"... Dave Vox Populi Nalle.
Learn to read, Vox Nalle. We're still producing acid rain. Where did I say anything about the volume being produced?
"...we've made incredible progress in the last 30 years. Where have you been?"
Close to a radio in the last few years when the ill health of rivers and lakes in the US is reported annually. While you were too busy writing messages as your other identity, Vox Populi, to your other identity, Dave nalle.
"The output of pollutants from modern car engines is negligible compared to even 10 years ago."
Which doesn't alter the fact that the antiquated internal combustion engine is still fouling the air we breath. New cars are cleaner running until they rack up the miles and start to pollute. When they fail clean air requirements, where those exist, they can be driven where they aren't required to pass clean air standards.
Lock yourself in a garage with an average 1996 car and let it idle for an hour. Then get back to us. Hell, you can even try it with a new internal combustion engine if you prefer.
24 - MBD
German prosecutors asked a court Friday to give a man the maximum sentence of five years in prison for persistently denying the sun rises in the east. The man was given an additional sentence of five years for claiming the earth is flat.
In his closing argument, the prosecutor called the man a “geopolitical con man” from whom the German people must be protected, widely quoting from his writings, which argue that there are no more stars in the universe than what he counts, which he says is less than two hundred.
25 - Clavos
Oh yeah. Those millionaire climatologists are just raking it in....Bastards.
I don't think I said that, Deano.
A hell of a lot of them are making a good living on it, though.