Finally Seeing Sense, Perhaps

The Global Warming Policy Foundation republishes an article from Peter Foster, in the (Canadian) Financial Post:

Reason Will Prevail on Energy

In his devastating 2008 book, An Appeal to Reason: A Cool Look at Global Warming, former British Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel Lawson noted the perhaps unprecedented hypocrisy surrounding the climate issue. 

“Fortunately,” he concluded, “the gap between rhetoric and reality when it comes to global warming, between the apocalyptic nature of the alleged threat and the relative modesty of the measures so far implemented (not to mention the sublime disregard of international obligations solemnly undertaken), is far greater than I can recall with any other issue in a lifetime of either observing or practising politics.”

Even more fortunately, as rhetoric falters and reality intrudes, the whole issue is now collapsing.  Apocalypse is an increasingly tough sell as the “science” is exposed (see accompanying article by David Evans [see below]).  Climate policy is revealed as not merely ineffective but a Trojan Horse for other costly and destructive agendas.  Most fortunately—and ironically—of all, the world faces a fossil fuel bonanza that will improve lives without causing environmental Armageddon.  [...]

Speaking on Wednesday, Mr. Obama sought to draw in another green target: all that shale gas.  “So we’ve got to do some science there to make sure that the natural gas that we have in this country, we’re extracting it in a safe way,” he said.  “The same thing is true when it comes to oil that’s being piped in from Canada.”

The President seems woefully ignorant of the vast amount of real science—and regulation—that already exists on these issues.  He remains most woefully ignorant about the state of climate science.  Still, Mr. Obama’s waffling is understandable.  More bizarre is the plan announced this week by the government of Alberta to expropriate hefty tracts of oil sands acreage from the industry in order to create “parks and recreation areas.”  [...]

As Lord Lawson suggests, all this represents a level of hypocrisy and economic insanity that boggles the mind and beggars historical parallel.  However, as another incisive writer, Charles Mackay, noted in his 1841 classic, Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, people—once they have burned enough witches or sufficiently damaged their economies with crazy schemes—always come to their senses, forcing their politicians to follow.

David Evans (speaking to the Anti-Carbon-Tax Rally in Perth, Australia, on March 23):

The debate about global warming has reached ridiculous proportions and is full of micro-thin half-truths and misunderstandings.  I am a scientist who was on the carbon gravy train, understands the evidence, was once an alarmist, but am now a skeptic.  Watching this issue unfold has been amusing but, lately, worrying. This issue is tearing society apart, making fools out of our politicians.

Let's set a few things straight.  The whole idea that carbon dioxide is the main cause of the recent global warming is based on a guess that was proved false by empirical evidence during the 1990s.  But the gravy train was too big, with too many jobs, industries, trading profits, political careers, and the possibility of world government and total control riding on the outcome.  So, rather than admit they were wrong, the governments, and their tame climate scientists, now outrageously maintain the fiction that carbon dioxide is a dangerous pollutant.  [...]

Even if we stopped emitting all carbon dioxide tomorrow, completely shut up shop and went back to the Stone Age, according to the official government climate models it would be cooler in 2050 by about 0.015 degrees.  But their models exaggerate ten-fold—in fact our sacrifices would make the planet in 2050 a mere 0.0015 degrees cooler!

Finally, to those who still believe the planet is in danger from our carbon dioxide emissions:  sorry, but you’ve been had.  Yes, carbon dioxide is a cause of global warming, but it’s so minor it’s not worth doing much about.