[OKC] [ok-sus] Jim Roth unravels special interests on climate-change bill

[Shauna Struby]

Les -- 

 

That stat came from a documentary, “Energy Crossroads: A Burning Need for Change.” It’s a very well researched and thorough documentary, quotes several prominent scientists including James Hansen. The next time I watch it, I’ll see if they source the stat or if I misunderstood or misquoted what they were saying. 

 

In 2007, the report from the United Nations' blue-ribbon international panel of climatologists declared  <http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/03/science/earth/03climate.html> global warming an "unequivocal" fact, "very likely" caused by human activity ::: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/03/science/earth/03climate.html?_r=1. Since 2007 no scientific body of national or international standing has maintained a dissenting opinion on human-induced climate change. The fact is most of the those claiming to debunk anthropogenic climate change are repeating arguments that have already been debunked by climatologists and / or are politicians and lobbyists taking the valid work of real scientists out of context. 

 

When I was covering climate change in 2001 as a reporter, a climatologist told me 93 percent of climatologists said it was highly likely humans were causing climate change above and beyond natural climate variations. The reading and research I’ve done since then shows consensus among climatologists has continued to grow. So the distinction may well be that climatologists, those who actually study and research climate – versus other types of scientists who don’t, are virtually certain this is the case.

 

The best scientific source I’ve found for truth about climate change is a blog called RealClimate – climate science from working climate scientists. That distinction is extremely important given the misinformation promulgated by so many who are not climate scientists. Check it out here ::: http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2009/07/warminginterrupted-much-ado-about-natural-variability/. 

 

Happy reading!

 

Shauna

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: lespace at valornet.com [mailto:lespace at valornet.com] 
Sent: Monday, July 13, 2009 1:59 PM
To: SOKC list serv; Sustainability Issues in Oklahoma
Cc: Shauna Struby
Subject: Re: [ok-sus] Jim Roth unravels special interests on climate-change bill

 

I have a problem with "99% of the scientest claiming humans cause climate change". This is simply not true and I have doccumentation to prove it, and will share it with anyone who really wants to know the truth. 

--

Leslie (Les) Pace

CEM   DSM  LC

 

---- Shauna Struby <sstruby at cox.net> wrote: 

>  

> <file:///C:\Users\shauna\AppData\Roaming\Windows%20Live%20Writer\PostSupport

> ingFiles\2fed0cac-1e6e-433c-81dc-6ef306a1600d\worldonfire%5b2%5d.png> I

> admire Jim Roth for attempting to make sense of the confusing array of

> special interests lobbying on the complex climate-change bill currently

> before our nation's Senate. In an opinion piece in the Journal Record

> <http://www.journalrecord.com/article.cfm?recID=100518>  today, Roth

> provides a rational and much-needed service to Oklahoma by providing enough

> facts and context to place this complicated issue in perspective. Some

> highlights:

> 

> *        Environmental groups initially united are now somewhat divided after

> the House version passed. Some welcomed the bill, while others criticized

> the generous concessions to the coal and nuclear energy lobbies.

> *        One of the nation's most outspoken climate scientists, NASA's James

> Hansen, warned, "The danger is that special interests will dilute and torque

> government policies, causing the climate to pass tipping points, with grave

> consequences for all life on the planet." 

> *        No group exemplifies the level of interest more than the American

> Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity [a front-group with an oxymoron for a

> name]. Representing 48 mining firms, coal-hauling railroads and coal-burning

> power companies, ACCCE spent $9.95 million lobbying in 2008. And that's just

> the amount disclosed by the association, let alone the 40 coal companies and

> related interests. 

> *        Electricity is largest single source of U.S. greenhouse gas

> emissions, and the most carbon-intensive fuel, coal, still provides half the

> nation's power. There's no technology today that removes the carbon out of

> coal-fired power and many even question the possibility of "clean coal." 

> *        Green groups like the Sierra Club have been joined by a new wave of

> interests from the American Academy of Pediatrics to the Evangelical

> Environmental Network. Combine alternative energy and environmental/health

> lobbyists, and they are still outnumbered by all other interests, more than

> 8-to-1. 

> *        Do we move forward with this legislation, even if imperfect, and try

> to improve it as it goes along in the Senate? The alternative choice is to

> have no comprehensive federal legislation and let our children deal with it.

> 

> Note: Ninety-nine percent (99%) of the world's scientists say human-caused

> climate change is happening now. Many are concerned we'll experience

> catastrophic consequences if we don't address the problem immediately. One

> of the world's preeminent climatologists, James Hansen, mentioned above by

> Roth, has long predicted the changes we're seeing now, and has been correct

> in 100 percent of his predictions. The New Yorker

> <http://www.newyorker.com/>  published an in-depth profile on Hansen in

> their June 29, 2009 issue, available online to subscribers.

> 

> "The Catastrophist," by Elizabeth Kolbert, offers details on Hansen's

> predictions, his background and his concern that we are past the tipping

> point for what is known in scientific circles as "dangerous anthropogenic

> interference" a.k.a D.A.I. From the article:

> 

> Hansen has now concluded, partly on the basis of his latest modelling

> efforts and partly on the basis of observations made by other scientists,

> that the threat of global warming is far greater than even he had suspected.

> Carbon dioxide isn't just approaching dangerous levels, it is already there.

> Unless immediate action is taken -- including the shutdown of all the

> world's coal plants within the next two decades -- the planet will be

> committed to change on a scale society won't be able to cope with.'This

> particular problem has become an emergency,' Hansen said.

> 

> http://thinklady.typepad.com/thinklady/ 

> 

>  

> 

> Shauna, OKC

> 

> Imagine, innovate, create, collaborate

> 

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> 

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> 

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> 

>  <http://thinklady.typepad.com%20/> http://thinklady.typepad.com / 

> 

>  <http://freshgreens.typepad.com/> http://freshgreens.typepad.com/   

> 

> P please don't print this e-mail unless you really need to

> 

>  

> 

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