Webster: Most climate scientists oppose Legates’ statements

Journalists are taught to ask questions. They should also keep an open mind, putting aside their own dearly held opinions and beliefs.

The Daily State News and other media outlets take articles produced by their staffs of journalists and publish them for public consumption. The State News has a pledge in which it states, “We Pledge … To provide the information citizens need to make their own intelligent decisions about public issues (and) (t)o report the news with honesty, accuracy, purposeful neutrality, fairness, objectivity, fearlessness and compassion.”

These are excellent positions to hold, no quarrel here. However, none of this matters on the Opinion pages, on which the public is invited to write what they darn well please. Fact checking appears to be nonexistent. While I don’t think the newspaper would print anything that is extremely inflammatory, even on the Opinion pages, clearly some of what makes it into print strikes the nerves of readers who disagree.

In the Opinion piece, “Which came first, CO2 or air temperature?” by Dr. David Legates, he doesn’t deny climate change but questions whether increasing levels of carbon dioxide are the cause of global warming. This position is in opposition to what 97% of climate scientists agree on (climate.nasa.gov).

Dr. Legates cites an article in the Epoch Times. Really? The Epoch Times is not a scientific journal, not even close. It’s a far-right newspaper and media company affiliated with the Falun Gong religious movement, out of China. Falun Gong operates the Shen Yun Performing Arts dance troupe that you may see advertised on TV this time of year. They are the “China Before Communism” people, which sounds like a good policy until you read what they are really about.

Dr. Legates also cites some scientific data taken from ice cores that show that levels of carbon dioxide grew after the warming of the last three deglaciations. The timespan here is 10,000 to 100,000 years ago, when humans would have had zero effect on the environment. Levels of CO2 back then are irrelevant to today’s discussion on global warming.

Dr. Legates is also director of research and education at the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation. The Cornwall Alliance is not a scientific organization; it is religious in nature. It holds opinions on the causes of global warming, based on its theologies, but it’s not science.
Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are released by burning fossil fuels. Wildfires also release CO2. Your breathing does, also, but that’s insignificant. It boggles my mind how anyone today can think that burning fossil fuels is an OK thing. Nobody likes breathing fumes from car or truck exhaust. No, I’m not giving up my gasoline-powered vehicles just yet — I recognize their necessity — but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to. I have switched to a battery-powered lawnmower, though, and would never go back.

Jim Webster

Dover

Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.