Sunday, June 25, 2017

CLIMATE CHANGE...massively overblown claims of immediate and impending disaster.

My Reasons For Doubting Global Warming Theory
By Politics Alabama
Part 5: In Conclusion
This is part 5 of a 5-part series. Read the Introduction, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 here.

The theory of Anthropogenic Global Warming, which has since been renamed Climate Change, attempts to prove that human actions are driving dramatic increases in temperature, with all of the associated side-effects of melting ice caps, rising ocean levels, and more, all leading to a world-changing conclusion.
But the climate of this planet has been changing since the planet itself was first created, and has been both hotter and colder than it is today. The “Little Ice Age” ended in the mid-1800’s, so why are we surprised by a period of warming? That’s sort of what logically comes next, right?
The plethora of climate computer models are a joke, seeming to be more of an attempt to “prove” an already determined outcome than accurately reflect how the climate functions. Because they want to show that man has a dramatic upwards effect on temperatures, that’s what the computer models show. Reality, however, doesn’t agree, and most computer models consistently overshoot what actually happens.
Climate Change scientists exist in a quasi-incestual relationship with government. Government funds the research into climate change, which they then use to justify new programs and increased power over “the environment”… and us. Where does the dog end and the tail begin? It’s hard to tell, but it is clear that the practical effect is to promote pro-global warming research and inhibit any contrary research. Global Warming scientists themselves have tilted the playing field further through the peer review process, and then claim the lack of publication proves that “the science is settled.” Somewhere in the middle of all of this, the actual science sort of gets lost behind the hype.

And then there are the constant, never-ending, and massively overblown claims of immediate and impending disaster. Predictions of future destruction are gleefully shared in order to justify more funding or passage of specific measures, but somehow the predictions never come true. There are no roving bands of climate refugees. The sea level hasn’t risen to the point that coastal areas are flooding. The arctic ice caps haven’t turned into a few scattered ice cubes floating in a sea of boiling saltwater. All this panic doesn’t make me more likely to believe what you’re saying… quite the reverse.

I still remember the year that “scientists” proclaimed that global warming would cause super-hurricanes of incredible strength, and more of them than ever. I admit I chuckled when the year ended with almost historically low hurricane activity. After that, the ridiculous claims died down to… well, more reasonable levels.

The claims are legion, but consistently false. Have you heard that the polar bear populations are declining at an alarming rate? I’m sure you have, as it’s a favorite and easy target. But it isn’t true, as polar bear populations are pretty stable, stymying past predictions of their demise. Of course, the truth isn’t stopping new forecasts of dying polar bears.

So, what DO I believe? To put it simply, I believe that yes, man’s presence on the planet does affect the climate, but not to anything like a great degree. Slightly. We are not heading for a disaster, civilization is not going to drown with a gurgle, and polar bears are not going to disappear. No great catastrophe is looming, so dramatic and expensive government action is unwarranted. We shouldn’t tax coal into extinction, we shouldn’t run gasoline prices up to European levels in order to inspire a switch to electric cars, and we shouldn’t abandon our power gird in favor of solar and wind power. No, we shouldn't place such rigorous requirements on emissions that businesses and power plants are forced to close. The danger isn’t real, the extreme, doomsday claims aren’t accurate.

What drives the global temperatures to a much greater extent are the sun and natural processes such as volcanoes. Mankind contributes a very small fraction of the greenhouse gasses introduced into the atmosphere each year, after all. The climate changes naturally, and human activity hasn’t changed that.

Do I believe in global warming?

If, by global warming, you mean that the planet has gotten warmer since the Little Ice Age, I can agree with that. If, on the other hand, you mean that human activity is forcing global temperatures higher and higher to the point that one catastrophe or another will occur, there we part company.

Global warming is real, but it’s nothing to upend human civilization about.

Now, after finishing this long series of posts, I’m hungry. Anybody know where I can score a polar bear steak?

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