Climate science is not well developed but is quite clear on some matters despite the continued attempts by climate alarmists to obfuscate it. There is currently nothing to worry about climate except the slow descent into the next ice age after some time geologically speaking. Humans have multiplied and developed rapidly during the current warm interglacial period between ice ages called the Holocene. But the available evidence strongly suggests that the Holocene will come to an end before too long geologically speaking. The current hysteria promoted by climate alarmists concerning global warming is simply that–hysteria. If people want to worry about climate change, they should worry about future global cooling. Cold is the great danger that humans will eventually face, not a little warmth.
In areas where there is ample surface water, such as oceans, coastal areas, or numerous lakes, nature carefully controls temperatures through a variety of natural mechanisms (called emergent phenomena). That is why tropical oceanic areas and areas with many lakes are never too hot for humans. Humans may be uncomfortable and wish they had some air conditioning, but humans can and do live just fine under such conditions. But when temperatures are too low, humans die like flies if not carefully protected. There are no such protections against cold when the next ice age starts. We have only recently emerged from a Little Ice Age, and the longer term trend since the Holocene high is down, not up.
No Scientific Basis for Reducing CO2 Emissions
The climate alarmists want you to believe that increases in a minor but vital trace gas, carbon dioxide, will result in increases in global temperatures. There is no valid scientific basis for this claim. In fact, science shows that at least in recent years for which there is data, increases in atmospheric CO2 have had no significant effect on temperatures.
So what does determine global temperatures? Natural effects like low cloud cover, variations in cosmic rays, variations in solar output, and long natural oscillations of atmospheric and oceanic phenomena (like El Ninos and La Ninas, called ENSO for El Nino Southern Oscillation for short). And there is no way for government to do much about global warming except through geoengineering, which is always opposed by climate alarmists as too dangerous or whatever. The climate alarmists are basically arguing for increased power for governments, but climate change is a bad example to use since governments can do very little about global warming except by means that the alarmists strongly oppose.
Covering the Earth with wind and solar farms creates environmentally horrible eyesores and major damages to wildlife but has no significant effect on temperatures since CO2has no significant such effects. All that the decarbonization they favor does is raise energy prices and line the pockets of those that build wind and solar farms.
[Originally Published at Carlin Science and Economics]
Dr. Carlin, now retired, was a 37-year career environmental economist and scientist at EPA when, in June 2009, the Competitive Enterprise Institute broke the story of his negative 100-page report reviewing the agency’s draft Endangerment Finding.
