[FRIAM] Edge: The Need for Heretics

[Owen Densmore]

On Aug 11, 2007, at 3:42 PM, Robert Holmes wrote:

> On 8/11/07, PPARYSKI at aol.com <PPARYSKI at aol.com> wrote:
>>
>>  Certainly there is a need for heretics and I consider myself a minor
>> heretic and mystic outlaw, but to deny the reality of global  
>> warming/climate
>> change is just stupid.  <snip>
>>
>
> No it's not.  Given the conclusion of the IPCC report that there's  
> a 90%
> confidence in the existence of anthropogenic warming, Dyson's  
> comment is 10%
> not stupid.
>
> Robert

I have to agree .. in the sense that a SFI climate paleontologist  
couched the issue:
   There is certainly a very recent correlation between CO2 and an  
upward trend in temperature.  But when one looks at multi-million  
year variations, we are actually in a cool area, and that the cause/ 
effect between any human activity pales in comparison to things like  
meteor impacts and volcanic action.  Thus much of the buzz is likely  
very inaccurate and unfounded.  BUT, personally, there is certainly  
no reason to NOT minimize man's impact on the environment.

I think when the dust settles (so to speak!) we'll find that we  
simply currently have no idea why the earth goes through ice ages and  
hot ages.  We may get hints if we really honestly try.  But I go  
along with the SFI researcher: it doesn't hurt to be cautious.

Its interesting that there are large gas/oil reserves under the ice  
caps.  Yet how did that happen if these result from organic decay?   
Dyson also has an answer for that: there may be earth-core activities  
that contribute a great deal to oil.

     -- Owen