UVA climatologist Pat Michaels had an excellent piece in the Washington Times the other day. In it he states:
Al Gore and his minions continue to chant that “the science is
settled” on global warming, but the only thing settled is that there
has not been any since 1998. Critics of this view (rightfully) argue
that 1998 was the warmest year in modern record, due to a huge El Nino
event in the Pacific Ocean, and that it is unfair to start any analysis
at a high (or a low) point in a longer history. But starting in 2001 or
1998 yields the same result: no warming…
Science no longer provides
justification for any rush to pass drastic global warming legislation.
The Climate Security Act, sponsored by Joe Lieberman and John Warner,
would cut emissions of carbon dioxide ? the main “global warming” gas ?
by 66 percent over the next 42 years. With expected population growth,
this means about a 90 percent drop in emissions per capita, to
19th-century levels.
What Pat doesn’t point out is that McCain’s cap and trade plan has a goal that is just about as dramatic. He is calling for a 65 percent reduction in CO2 emissions over the same period period. As Pat points out, these targets will be “impossible to achieve.” So I think we really need to start asking ourselves what the true goal of the Liebermans, McCains and Warners of the world really are. Is it CO2 control or just control?
