Pseudo-science of climate change skeptics

A WSJ book reviewer quotes from Pseudo-Science Wars by Michael D. Gordin. “[W}hen mainstream science is attacked in politically credible ways, the danger comes not from the fringe of outsiders—who will always come and go, like bright, streaming comets—but from the inside, in the form of credentialed scientists at mainstream institutions who lend their prestige to, say, Big Tobacco or to energy companies fueling climate-change skepticism.” Comments express skeptic views.

Response:

The climate science data  shows that  rising levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) traceable to burning fossil fuels correlate with rising temperatures. The effect of increased CO2 takes a couple decades to appear, because the oceans are so huge; it takes a while to warm the Earth. So the increased evaporation, flooding, drought, fires, insect infestation, melting Arctic ice and other climate related events happening now are the result of warming gases released 20 years ago.  We will continue to see increasing climate damage for several decades after we switch to green energy.

The agency that put a module on Mars tells us that 2009 was the second warmest year since 1880, NASA reported , and that 2000 to 2009 was the warmest decade on record.

Should an individual with a deadly and highly contagious disease be allowed to carelessly infect other people? If, as is true with climate science, 98% of scientists with relevant expertise think the risk of danger is high, then what is the individual’s responsibility?

The good news is that the alternative to global warming is a phenomenal opportunity.

BNEF reports that in “more and more markets rooftop solar power is cheaper than daytime retail energy prices.”  Wind turbines, batteries and all other clean energy equipment costs are lower than just a few years ago and still dropping.  US taxpayers spend $83 billion /year to police the straits of Hormuz to protect oil shipments to China, and we spend $350 billion a year on foreign oil.  We can have a stronger economy, more exports, higher employment, and  reduce water scarcity  by getting the energy industries to  industrialize green technology and leave oil, coal and natural gas in the ground.