The world is doomed and it’s all our fault!! Al Gore’s movie “An Inconvenient Truth” hits the big screen this week. Check out this article over at TCS Daily. (hat tip Andrew Sullivan)
“An Inconvenient Truth” is billed as the scariest movie you’ll ever see. It may well be, but that’s in part because it is not the most accurate depiction of the state of global warming science. The enormous uncertainties surrounding the global warming issue are conveniently missing in “An Inconvenient Truth.”
I don’t know how much green house gas Al sends into the air flying around the globe, but until I see him riding around on a horse I am not going to worry too much. 
UPDATE: A Sullivan reader responds to the TSC Daily article.
5 users commented in " Al’s quest against Manbearpig "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackActually global warming is a huge issue. We shold be working to solve this problem. We have already started to see the effects of this. For the last two years the world has experienced weather changes, current flow changes, temperature spikes, ect.
It won’t affect me though, it will just affect my childrens children!
Actually Sullivan’s site has since posted some new information about the so-called “facts” in the TCS Daily article.
Essentially Balling cherry-picked the IPCC report with regard to sea-level rise. I’m sure there are other problems as well. It’s important to note that Balling has worked with/for CEI, the same group generating these ridiculous ads claiming CO2 is good for the globe.
DrSinker,
Thanks for the info, I’ll update my original post with that info. CO2!! It’s what’s for dinner!
Like most things I think there is a middle ground. Sure, all the crap we pump into the air and into our water supplies is not good, but I don’t think it is up to the level that Al Gore is trying to scare us into thinking.
Also, if you check out that article, (and I’ve seen it in others as well) that even if the United States went “ultra green” it would not make a very large dent in green house gasses, because developing countries like India and China are pumping ALOT of crap in the air.
This, like a lot of hot button issues, gets totally warped when it gets in the hands of politians. They care more about winning elections and holding on to their power then finding solutions to problems a lot of the time.
A lot of solutions to our problems lie somewhere in the middle, but our two party system does not allow for it.
Chris,
Well, check out the review of Gore’s movie by the distinguished scientists over at realclimate.org (linked again through Sullivan). They essentially think he gets it right.
There is always a middle ground. But with regard to global climate change, where should we seek that middle ground? Should it be the middle in the US, or internationally? I think the answer is clear, and unfortunately the US is pretty far to the right on this issue.
The point about China and India is often raised. The problem is that one thing is certain: if the US refuses to take this seriously, the world will have little hope of convincing China and India to do so. We’ve made progress by pressuring China and India on a number of other issues - there’s no reason this can’t continue. I believe China at least has signed on to Kyoto, they just weren’t held to the same standards that the US would have (but by some metrics, they still don’t pollute anywhere near as much).
Finally, you’re right about the politicians. That’s why we should listen to the scientific community on issues such as these. And there, the consensus is presently overwhelming.
Cheers,
Dr. Sinker
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