There needs to be room for debate in the climate discussion
By Lethbridge Herald on September 14, 2022.
Editor:
There appears to be among some of us a tendency towards domination and control. It is evident in today’s society where self-appointed “correct thinkers” attempt to dominate the thoughts and opinions of their peers.
Recently, Lethbridge citizens had a close encounter with this type of domination by those who are confident that the planet is in great peril from a looming “climate crisis.”
Moreover, they know what must be done to avert it.
A tweet by mayor Hyggen referring to a “Daily Sceptic” article on climate change that he found “interesting” was enough to arouse a determined attempt to shut down that “interesting” thought. https://dailysceptic.org/2022/08/18/1200-scientists-and-professionals-declare-there-is-no-climate-emergency/
Why would that be?
What terrible heresy was “interesting,” a word which means “that which occupies the mind, holding the attention or curiosity.” (Webster’s). What upset the “correct thinkers?”
It was a document, signed by 1,200 scientists and professionals, including 63 Canadians, led by the Norwegian physics Nobel Prize laureate Professor Ivar Giaever, entitled “World Climate Declaration: There is no climate emergency.” I certainly found that interesting! (clintel.org/world/climate/declaration)
When 1,200 scientists and professionals representing many countries and disciplines are courageous enough to risk their reputations, jobs and friendships by signing a document “There is no climate emergency” it clearly demonstrates, at the very least, that the science is not settled. Interesting!
Nor is this group of 1,200 alone. Experts such as Steven E. Koonin, the top science advisor to the Obama administration, who authored “UNSETTLED – what climate science tells us, what it doesn’t, and why it matters,” advises caution and more research.
It matters because policies such as “Net Zero” by 2050 are based upon the belief that “the science is settled.”
Such beliefs lead to destructive policies as indicated by a recent headline in the Wall Street Journal; “Net Zero Policies Bankrupt Britain”. One could replace “Britain” with “Germany”, “Europe” or any other advanced western nation and still be correct.
Mayor Hyggen is not alone in his “interest.” The attempt to denigrate and smear him as a “denier” was met with a spirited, youtube defense by the “Friends of Science Society”. They pointed out, among other things, that the media have taken sides and contrary to their “Principles for Ethical Journalism” they have become activists rather than balanced reporters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwSRWSeZEDw
Surely recent local and international events open the door for questioning and civilized debate about climate and climate policies.
Can we have such a debate? Or are we still at the level of “I’m right – you do what you are told!”
Shaun Ward
Lethbridge
19-18
Agreed. Here is another report that is “interesting”
https://www.fraserinstitute.org/studies/hand-of-government-in-the-intergovernmental-panel-on-climate-change?utm_source=Email&utm_campaign=Hand-of-Government-in-the-IPCC&utm_medium=Dev_email&utm_content=Learn_More&utm_term=415
Our hero Peter Lougheed urged the Klein and Stelmach governments to slow down the growth of the oil sands, get control of the pollution, collect proper royalties and taxes and run this province properly and they refused to listen. Instead they invited the world to come and get our next to free oil and take advantage of our dirt cheap taxes. Oil executives agreed with Lougheed that something had to be done and agreed to join the Kyoto Accord. Klein and Harper refused to let them. Instead Harper literally told the world that Canada didn’t give a damn about Global Warming and they weren’t going to do anything. Oil executives were furious with him and feel that Obama would have approved the Keystone XL pipeline if Harper had bothered to show the world that we were trying to do something about our pollution problem. They thru open the oil production, but weren’t smart enough to ensure that there was a proper way to get this surplus, they created to market and look at the mess they have created. Oilmen continue to point out that even though the oil industry has recovered because of the war and these Reformers are bragging about our increased royalties they still aren’t collecting anywhere near what Lougheed was collecting for Albertans. It’s likely about a third.
I see Bob Loblaw has checked him with his history rank. Here is some more current and “interesting”
https://climatechangedispatch.com/astrophysicist-climate-cultists-are-on-a-gravy-train-to-make-money/?fbclid=IwAR1XqIB63zQqqF7ne3O0viM6JTVXyf4TxGKOfo2CO3B7zIe5K02GhQqJG-U
https://youtu.be/vsafxsxY-fU
“Interesting article”/news story from Sky News
What, always talks, and turns heads, is, money, and, hits to pocketbooks. This:
“Climate Change Could Cut World Economy By $23 Trillion in 2050, Insurance Giant Warns. Poor nations would be particularly hard hit, but few would escape Swiss Re said. The findings could influence how the industry prices insurance and invests its mammoth portfolios.” (nytimes.com)
Already, in one year time lines, global climate and weather-related disasters are costing in the $tens of billions. We, here in Alberta, when questioning our pertinent insurance rate hikes, always get told by the brokers that all of us end up having to pay for the $millions/billions in these damages, i.e. wildfires, floods, wind, hail, tornados, etc. (let alone the Kenney UCP removing the cap on insurance rates). At what point would all of this be acknowledged and not ignored by the deniers? Perhaps, now, already, this stuff is in our faces. Debating about these very expensive costs and damages is glaringly, moot….let alone the priceless cost to human lives lost in these climate-change disasters.