Reply To: Cap and Trade

[Phil’s Dad]

Breakable Posted at 24 September 2009 03:55 AM

“I think its(sic) pretty important to agree that there is no complete model of our planet, and scientists cannot predict (the) outcome to the changes in its atmosphere accurately, but if there is even a remote possibility that by a slight reduction (in) the quality of living a catastrophe can be prevented isn’t it a good idea to take that chance?”

A slight reduction in the quality of living for many people is death. The problem with so much legislation (proposed or enacted) is that it seeks to prevent developing nations, well, developing. If they are only allowed energy from sources they can not afford (i.e. renewables) then they must continue to do without. That costs millions of lives and that is the true cost of making the wrong decision “just in case”. One reason why FF is so important – living standards world wide can go up sustainably.

At 05:04 AM (that’s very late by the way – kids keeping you up?) he goes on to say “A survey published in 2009 by Peter Doran and Maggie Zimmerman of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago of 3146 Earth Scientists found that 97% of active climatologists agree that human activity is causing global warming.”

Putting aside the “leanings and interests” of the people doing the survey that result is probably about the same percentage as thought the world was flat just before someone sailed around it.

What made me post though was the assertion at 06:42 AM that “Consensus is much harder to form when there is nothing to test on.” I can only presume that Breakable, generally a sensible chap, was by then very tired.
:-/