Letter: Rely on facts when considering climate change - Reading Eagle
Letter: Look for facts, not empty arguments, on climate change
Editor:
Cal Thomas’ Dec. 11 commentary ( “Climate summit produces more apocalyptic nonsense”) lacks scientific facts. Instead, he appeals to emotion, creates a strawman of John Kerry and Dr. Anthony Fauci and tells us not to believe experts on climate change and global warming.
Thomas is 127 years out of date. Svante Arrhenius in 1896 was the first to predict that emissions of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels and other combustion processes were large enough to cause global warming.
Today all anyone needs to do is to search for the global warming FAQ on climate.gov and all questions about global warming and climate change are answered. It notes scientific facts such as Earth’s average surface temperature has risen by 1.8 degrees since the late 1800s.
Since 1750, humans have increased the abundance of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by nearly 50%.
This extremely rapid buildup of carbon dioxide is happening because humans are putting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere faster than natural sinks can remove it.
Without major reductions in these emissions, the increase in annual average global temperatures relative to preindustrial times could reach 9 degrees or more by the end of this century.
Don’t listen to Thomas’ ignorant opinions. Instead read the facts for yourself.
Michael Babb
Fleetwood
Related Knowledge Center: Climate economics
Climate change is now a driver of the world’s economy. The impact is profound:
- Catastrophic weather events — hurricanes, floods, droughts, high temperatures — are more frequent and more extreme. The cost can be measured in both the initial damage caused and the longer-term impact on the economy.
- Vulnerable communities are increasing climate-related investments, hardening infrastructure and taking other protective measures.
- Investment in carbon capture and storage technologies is increasingly rapidly.
- Governments are making investments and crafting regulations to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
On top of all of this is the cost of uncertainty. As the Fourth National Climate Assessment, released in 2018 by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, says, “The assumption that current and future climate conditions will resemble the recent past is no longer valid.”