Letter to the Editor: Climate Change Debate

Several centuries ago the “consensus” of scientists of the times agreed the earth was flat.  Now those who dare to question those who live and breathe the gloom and doom of “global warming” are often called “flat-earthers”.  Honest dissent or questioning of the “consensus” leads to derision and ad hominem attacks.

A number of Sun Journal readers have weighed into the debate, and there seems to be very little middle ground.  Those who have bought the “consensus” theory are not open to another opinion, and often overlook startling facts, especially that a few years ago the “consensus” was the earth was rapidly cooling, and an Ice Age was on the near horizon.

The EPA has declared carbon dioxide a “pollutant” which poses a danger to human health and welfare.  By doing so, the EPA will be able to regulate every single economic activity in America; even if those regulations won’t do anything to impact climate.  Former EPA administrator, Lisa Jackson, admitted as much in an analysis showing that US action to reduce greenhouse gases would have no impact on climate because of growing emissions from China and India.

It’s distressing to see few pointing out the inconsistencies of the alarmists.  At Georgetown University recently, President Obama gave a speech stating the earth has been warming at an accelerated rate over the past 15 years.  But Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, head of the UN’ global warming science body, the IPCC, has recently admitted there has been no global warming for 17 years.  Guess the president didn’t get the memo, but neither did Al Gore.  Mr. Gore’s misstatements have included:  “The Earth has never been hotter and “There has never been more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere than we have now”. 

Many scientists believe the Earth was at least as hot around 1100.  During that period the Vikings discovered and settled Greenland.  Food was plentiful in Europe and people prospered.  That “warming” period was actually beneficial to the adaptable humans.  As far as carbon dioxide, geologists have found evidence to prove carbon dioxide levels were 20 times as large in the distant past as they are now.

Many of the theories of the climate alarmists are not only wrong, but dangerous.  Their views are influencing our government to take actions which will negatively impact us all.  While many of these people profess to care about the poor and disenfranchised, their actions will more adversely affect those very people through rising gas and heating costs.  America’s prosperity is undermined, jobs are destroyed, and the sovereignty of our country is threatened by unaccountable bureaucrats from the United Nations.

Instead of trying to stop the “dissenters”, would it not be better to have more open debate before we commit scarce resources and apply draconian measures to a subject that appears to be less than “settled”?

Nancy Murdoch, CCTA Education Chairman

Havelock, NC