Calgary Sun: Promoting Confusion and Irresponsibility

authordefault
on

Calgary Sun Columnist Licia Corbella suggests today that Canada ignore climate change because Canada’s contribution to greenhouse gas emission worldwide is just two per cent. Then she quotes denier-of-the-day Dr. Willie Soon, saying, “If all of Canadian man-made CO2 was removed, the effect on the Earth’s temperature would be minuscule – immeasurable.”

Is that the new standard for whether you should do the right thing? By that logic, the litter dropped by a single individual is irrelevant, so we should all feel fine throwing our burger bags out the window. For that matter, Corbella should be allowed to shoot her partner, her boss – or even me – because it would make only a 0.15-per-cent difference to Canada’s annual murder rate. Selfish, anti-social behavior cannot be justified by its statistical insignificance.

Corbella also quotes Dr. Tim Ball saying, “The world has actually been cooling since 1998 even though man-made CO2 levels have increased.”

Look at the attached graph and ask yourself whether Ball’s contention is an accurate statement offered in good faith by a knowledgeable climatologist, or a malicious bit of deception put forth by someone who should know better. The burden on scientists (and journalists) should be to present reasoned and reasonable argument, not to trick and deceive, and certainly not to provoke irresponsible behavior.

Related Posts

on

The group, which reportedly has UAE state backing, is leading the race to buy the British newspaper.

The group, which reportedly has UAE state backing, is leading the race to buy the British newspaper.

The influential newspaper featured ten opinion writers with links to the UK’s main climate science denial group.

The influential newspaper featured ten opinion writers with links to the UK’s main climate science denial group.
Opinion
on

On Monday, three apparently unconnected things happened. First, news broke that London Mayor Sadiq Khan had refused planning consent for the MSG Sphere in Stratford. This 100-metre illuminated...
Analysis
on

Here’s DeSmog’s take on what to expect at this year’s climate summit, from Big Oil’s influence, to a new Big Ag agenda, to promotion of sketchy solutions that would keep oil and gas burning for decades to come.

Here’s DeSmog’s take on what to expect at this year’s climate summit, from Big Oil’s influence, to a new Big Ag agenda, to promotion of sketchy solutions that would keep oil and gas burning for decades to come.