Republicans seem anxious to prove they are the party of scientific ignoramuses. No, not today, that was back in 2007, during the last Presidential election, as written by Reason magazine’s Ronald Bailey. Incidentally, note the use of the term, “evolution denier,” in the headline of his post. The usage is not as common in the vernacular…Continue Reading…
In Saturday’s Washington Post, Roger Pielke Jr., a University of Colorado professor and the author of The Climate Fix, was quoted as saying: Climate change has become a wedge issue. It’s today’s flag-burning or today’s partial-birth-abortion issue. I’m not sure how Roger intended this to be construed–as a commentary on the larger, endlessly politicized climate debate…Continue Reading…
Serious, science-based climate skeptics have a chance to separate themselves from the foaming-at-the-mouth lunacy that defines their public image. I mention this because I know that some of you skeptics chafe at the buffoonish antics of Christopher Monckton and the sweeping declarations of Republican Senator James Inhofe. As science writer David Brin has written (which I…Continue Reading…
Several weeks ago, I pointed out how several popular climate skeptic blogs had disingenuously parroted the headline from that skewed Rasmussen poll: 69% Say It’s Likely Scientists Have Falsified Global Warming Research Shortly afterwards, I noticed a similar copy and paste job by Ronald Bailey at his libertarian outlet. Like the climate skeptics I cited (Anthony Watts…Continue Reading…
Like many conservatives, I was traditionally skeptical of the science supporting anthropogenic global warming. Today, I am skeptical no longer. Like conservative blogger D.R. Tucker, on this issue, I was ultimately “defeated by facts.” Religion also played a role: As a practicing Roman Catholic, another critical element for me was the leading role being played…Continue Reading…
Several weeks ago, after Tim DeChristopher received a two-year jail sentence for climate monkey wrenching, the outrage in various quarters was palpable. Some, like Jeff Goodell at Rolling Stone, saw a potentially historic moment in the making: For climate activists, this is a Rosa Parks moment. Or should be. In other words, the jailing of DeChristopher should…Continue Reading…
From the same thread, more evidence that the standoff has hardened into two immutable world views. One side says: Global warming denial is very much like a religious cult, and reaching the hardcore members is difficult. The other side counters: Global warming belief is very much like a religious cult and reaching the hardcore members is difficult….Continue Reading…
There is a profile of the world’s smartest and richest Malthusian in this Sunday’s NYT magazine that carries a headline he surely finds galling: Can Jeremy Grantham Profit from Ecological Mayhem? If you know anything about Grantham, then you know he wants to save the environment and civilization from ecological mayhem. As I wrote in this post…Continue Reading…
With political action on climate change stalled, and social science indicating that humans are not hard-wired to tackle distant and amorphous problems, climate writers might want to consider shifting the debate to the moral and ethical realm. Yes, some have tried this tack. For example, in 2010, James Hansen wrote in the Huffington Post: The predominant moral issue of…Continue Reading…
David Roberts of Grist is determined to puzzle out the obstacles to action on climate change. Last week, he argued that a fierce column of hairy-chested conservative white men (CWM) blocked the path to victory. If climate activists wanted to win the war against climate “deniers” (the rationale being that “deniers” are the main impediment…Continue Reading…