I read with interest the publisher's editorial asserting that climate change is a fallacy. The editorial posited that the general consensus of the scientific community regarding climate change does not make it a factual reality. The editorial then went on to quote one lone Canadian ecologist who holds an opposing point of view, going so far as to ridicule concern over the increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by pointing out that carbon dioxide is needed by plants.
My initial reaction in reading the editorial is that it equates the climate change dilemma to a religious belief system, whether or not to "believe" this or that. It's fine to be skeptical about science, and in fact, scientific understandings change dramatically over the course of time, causing us non-research scientist consumers to exercise discernment on how to respond.
But for someone to climb up on their soapbox and declare an accepted scientific fact to be in doubt, when that person is not a scientist in that field, and is not putting forth a compelling argument or factual information is simply sloppy. Ninety-seven percent of the scientific studies on climate change have concluded that climate change is occurring due to human-caused changes to the atmosphere. I am choosing to side with the larger body of science.
That was my initial reaction. My next reaction was to see if I could find information online about the Climate Change Denier Debacle, since that is what it seems to be. Where did it all begin? Strategically, the climate change denial campaign came from the fossil fuel industry, and fossil-fuel funded libertarian and conservative think tanks, all in an effort to cast doubt into the masses for the purpose of financial gain on the part of these industrial and ideological groups. Conservative billionaires have contributed millions to groups that would discredit climate change, in the same way the tobacco industry sought to cast doubt on links between smoking and cancer. Industry has also hired its own "scientist" talking heads to spin the media messages, as documented by Naomi Oreskes' investigative work (now a documentary film) "Merchants of Doubt."
Yes friends, you are being manipulated by those that are only looking out for their economic or ideological self-interests. Climate change is happening on the planet right now. We have the ability to slow down the process with the right choices and decisions.
I recently served on a jury for a criminal trial. The prosecution produced over 150 exhibits of evidence, demonstrating that the defendant did indeed commit the crime. All the defense attorney could do with that barrage of facts, was attempt to cast doubt about the credibility of the facts and the witnesses. He was simply doing his job to confuse the jury. But the preponderance of evidence still pointed to the "guilty" verdict.
It is the same with climate change. Our understanding of climate and its effects will be nuanced over time with more scientific data, but meanwhile the evidence shows unprecedented changes in our atmosphere and the ecosystems affected by changes in temperature. Some of the deniers ideologically place their heads in the sand. (The earth is flat, and to believe otherwise is sacrilegious!) So be it. But it's time for the ambivalent masses to take their heads out of the sand and do our part, large or small, to reduce carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions.
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