By Selwyn Duke
BBC News is running a piece about British Environment Minister Sammy Wilson. He is one of those rare politically-incorrect European public figures, as he scoffs at the notion of anthropogenic climate change. Writes the BBC:
In an article in the News Letter, Mr Wilson said he believed it occurred naturally and was not man-made.
'Resources should be used to adapt to the consequences of climate change, rather than King Canute-style vainly trying to stop it,' said the minister . . . .
. . . Mr Wilson said he refused to 'blindly accept' the need to make significant changes to the economy to stop climate change.
'The tactic used by the 'green gang' is to label anyone who dares disagree with their view of climate change as some kind of nutcase who denies scientific fact,' he said.
How can this be? I mean, no less an expert than Al Gore has stated definitively that "the debate is over." Yes, well, it had better be over when you can't win it based on facts and reason.
I've written some full-length pieces on the climate-change con myself, such as those here and here, and I won't restate the arguments contained therein. But I will ask, has anyone noticed how cool the weather has been for the last year?
I know, we're supposed to ignore anecdotal evidence -- that is, except when it supports the America-is-destroying-the-world argument. Nevertheless, we have just experienced the coolest summer here in New York that I can remember. We've heard about the "dog days of August," a figure of speech characterizing a month known for sweltering temperatures. Amazingly, however, I can't recall even one 90-plus day in August. There may have been one that escaped my notice, of course, but you get the point.
This phenomenon is not limited to my area or perception, either. In one of the pieces I cited earlier, I documented the unprecedentedly cold winter experienced in many parts of the world, and this year we had the coldest April in 11 years. Moreover, the Telegraph alerts us in this article to the fact that insect populations in Britain have declined precipitously this summer because of the cold weather. It isn't just bugs that benefit from warmer weather, either; plants also grow better. This means crop yields increase and we have more food.
We may learn to appreciate this the hard way, too, as some scientists believe we are on the cusp of another little ice age. Of course, whatever happens with the weather, the climate-change alarmists won't be deterred. Not for a New York minute. When I was a boy, they did warn about an impending ice age. Then, just recently, it was global warming. Then they became nervous -- as they perhaps saw data indicating that the world may not continue warming -- and lo and behold, what did they do? First, they changed the name of the "problem" to "climate change." Then they said that our greenhouse emissions, which were supposed to seal heat in the atmosphere, may cause a cooling trend! Maybe one followed by a warming trend. Or, perhaps, a cooling trend followed by another cooling trend followed by . . . oh, I'm getting a headache.
In other words, the world's temperature has always fluctuated and will always do so, with warming and cooling trends. Yet, if the Earth warms, we are to consider it proof that we're destroying the environment. And, if this blue orb cools, it is also proof we're destroying the environment. Now that's what I call a nice, airtight theory.
Actually, if the temperatures were to remain stable for any length of time, that would be unusual and something about which to worry.
What a bunch of hot air.
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WARNING: Climate Change is not Pocket Change. The "Green Gang" wants to get a hold of your wallet.
This is simply a means for government to create a new tax arena. A means for scientists to seek research dollars.
Who do you think is going to pay for making this green machine feel so benevolent? China, India?
Posted by: Vivienne | September 08, 2008 at 01:49 PM