PrintDecember 14, 2007
Bali Finale Papers Pit Vision Against Precision
On the very day Al Gore arrived in Bali with a petition avowing "support for a visionary global treaty to end the climate crisis," another petition (of sorts) was released attesting that any such efforts would prove "ultimately futile."
But in stark contrast to the Green Giant's appeal, which contained the "signatures" of nearly a quarter million internet denizens of indemonstrable education, it was more than 100 field-leading scientists that signed the letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon which began:
"It is not possible to stop climate change, a natural phenomenon that has affected humanity through the ages."
Yesterday, Gore's silly electronically-signed whine was presented to the waning UN Climate conference along with his requisite repent-or-perish speech, this time climaxing with these euphoric-applause and hoorah inspiring words:
"My own country the United States is principally responsible for obstructing progress here in Bali. We all know that."
The freshly minted Laureate was singling out the country he had once aspired to lead for its refusal to commit to unnecessary and unattainable greenhouse gas abatement goals throughout the 2 week climate festival. Of course, Japan and Canada had stood the same ground, as did "developing" nations China and India. But why quibble? There're plenty of accolades to go around.
That's right - three cheers for all nations responsible for gridlocking the progress of the world's worst idea since Hydrogen-filled blimps.
And the letter to be distributed to Bali revelers on this, the final day, signed by such scientific luminaries as World Federation of Scientists president Dr. Antonio Zichichi and the "Father of Climatology" himself, Dr. Reid Bryson, distinguishes itself from yesterday's "I Like Al" petition by explaining why.
Declaring the Summaries for Policy Makers the most widely read and quoted of IPCC reports, the climate authorities reiterate that they are prepared not by scientists but rather government representatives. Furthermore, they remind us, contrary to the impression the summaries leave with the reader:
- "Recent observations of phenomena such as glacial retreats, sea-level rise and the migration of temperature-sensitive species are not evidence for abnormal climate change, for none of these changes has been shown to lie outside the bounds of known natural variability.
- The average rate of warming of 0.1 to 0. 2 degrees Celsius per decade recorded by satellites during the late 20th century falls within known natural rates of warming and cooling over the last 10,000 years.
- Leading scientists, including some senior IPCC representatives, acknowledge that today's computer models cannot predict climate. Consistent with this, and despite computer projections of temperature rises, there has been no net global warming since 1998. That the current temperature plateau follows a late 20th-century period of warming is consistent with the continuation today of natural multi-decadal or millennial climate cycling."
The dispatch, which rebukes the conference's disregard of Kyoto's failures in attempting to craft severe CO2 restrictions and trading markets, then concludes:
"Attempts to prevent global climate change from occurring are ultimately futile, and constitute a tragic misallocation of resources that would be better spent on humanity's real and pressing problems."
Bona fide experts, dispassionately relating facts and proffering cogent analysis will certainly assuage segments of the quivering heat-fearing masses lamenting a no-deal summit, right? After all, they do appear to react quite passionately to letters of Science.
Remember the hysterical mandatory emissions caps rally-cry letter -- signed by 200 likely less objective and categorically less distinguished scientists -- that was all the rage at the opening of the conference? And the wide and excited coverage it received from the greenhouse gasbag media-at-large?
Might the fortnight visitors to the Bali of the Folly Green Giant respond similarly to this letter, further authorized by physics legend Dr. Freeman Dyson and Dr. Edward J. Wegman, of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences? As the media is delirious with the same green fever, the degree of the letter's dissemination will provide a strong indicator.
Try this little experiment over the next few days: Google the words 200 Scientists Bali. Page through the results until you've properly appreciated the lay of the land. Now, replace 200 with 100 and repeat.
Any questions?
