Kansas Chamber of Commerce lends ear to scientist who disputes man-made global warming
12:25 p.m. Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Global warming? So what.
That was the message Monday from research scientist and best-selling author Roy Spencer to legislative leaders, lobbyists and leading business officials at the Kansas Chamber of Commerce business and energy summit.
Spencer is a principal research scientist at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and author of “Climate Confusion.”
Spencer doesn’t deny that Earth is warming, but he attributes that to natural climate cycles and not to the increase in greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels.
“There are many of us skeptical of mankind being the cause of global warming,” he said.
And, he said, increased carbon dioxide is not a bad thing, and can either be absorbed by the environment or have positive effects, such as increased agricultural production.
Most scientists disagree with Spencer’s findings. They believe increases in carbon dioxide from human burning of fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, are causing climate changes that, if left unchecked, will result in catastrophic flooding, storms, famine and changes in the environment.
But Spencer said nature is always changing in ways that produce winners and losers. Even if mankind is affecting the environment, he asked, “Why is it wrong for the climate to be different because we are here?”
During a question-and-answer session, Stormont-Vail HealthCare president and chief executive officer Maynard Oliverius noted that carbon dioxide emissions have skyrocketed in recent years. “So what?” Spencer said. “What’s your point?”
Spencer also advised the several hundred people in attendance not to trust the mainstream media on the topic of carbon dioxide emissions and climate change.
“You will be misled on what is out there in the scientific literature,” he said.
Nancy Jackson, executive director of the Climate and Energy Project at the Land Institute in Salina, attended the forum and said Spencer’s talk supported the position of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce, which has urged the construction of two coal-fired power plants in Southwest Kansas. The proposed project has been rejected by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius because of concerns about carbon dioxide emissions.
“I would clearly prefer that a forum on energy and business in the state of Kansas include diverse viewpoints,” Jackson said. “I’m hopeful we will see that in the future.”
Comments
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Sep. 23, 2008 at 8:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)kfw38c (anonymous)
Spencer has evolved from a research scientist to pundit. His recent book and his current activities are more representaive of the work of a think tank fellow (aka lobbyist) than a scientist searching for the truth.
Sep. 24, 2008 at 12:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)reasonmclucus (anonymous)
So that means he is no different from those who are attempting to sell what veteran meteorologist John Coleman has called the greatest fraud in world history. the whole global warming thing is a scam. Those who support have produced no evidence to support the claim of any significant warming. According to their own figures temperatures in the 20th century only changed by 0.17% which could easily result from changes in equipment or changes in the thermal characteristics of the locations where the equipment is placed. the claim that the very minor atmospheric gas carbon dioxide can control air temperature is ridiculous and indicates raises serious doubts about whether climatology is anything more than a religion that masquerades as science.
Sep. 24, 2008 at 9:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)kfw38c (anonymous)
reason,
Funny you should reference religion seeing Spencer believes Creationism is a theory. Your post is full of logical fallacies and talking points and indicates that you choose not to understand the science.
Explain to me why such a disproportionate number of "skeptics" are retired professors and/or members of libertarian/conservative think tanks? Why is it that some of the same skpetics who are the leaders of the denialist movement have also done work for tobacco companies, questioned the effect on CFCs onteh Ozone layer and also spread disinformation to oversell the Star Wars defense system?
I have problems with some of the alarmists as they affect a rational approach to solutions, but I have a much bigger problem with those who spread lies, logical fallacies and talking points to cloud the truth that AGW is a significant concern.
BTW, if John Coleman is such a great meterologist, what did he get his degree in? Why is he not certiifed? Why do most meterologists, who, by the way, are more educated than Coleman belive AGW is NOT a hoax??
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