The letter written by Ed Wiebe in the Dec. 16 Saanich News illustrates the hype and unfounded fears some of your readers have come to accept as “truth” regarding the subject of climate change.
His reference and criticism to writings by Tom Fletcher on this subject is totally off base. Tom’s writings and viewpoints are frank, logical and factual as well as fair and unbiased. He’s a great asset and valuable contributor for the Saanich News. There is much hype and erroneous information floating about regarding climate change.
Unfortunately, much of the so-called “science”, predicting dire consequences for all of us, is not based on proven, credible, scientific evidence and those researchers who have different opinions, founded on accurate scientific findings and research, are quite often prevented from speaking out.
For example, we were told for years by the “experts” that our climate is warming at an alarming pace due to carbon dioxide buildup in our atmosphere – all of it caused by human activities. More accurate and credible research is showing that the warming trend has actually slowed; no significant increase in global temperature has been noted for the last 18 years.
The increase in carbon dioxide buildup during the last century has occurred as a result of varying amounts of solar energy. The slight increase in heat energy emanating from the sun and warming our planet has promoted a prolific growth of micro organisms in the oceans which in turn have generated increased amounts of carbon dioxide, added to our atmosphere, as a result.
Man’s contribution to increased carbon dioxide levels present in our atmosphere is actually less than one per cent during the last 50 years. Climates have historically fluctuated for centuries. This is a natural process. There was a period lasting several years, during the Middle Ages, where temperatures plummeted to extremes. It became so cold that people actually believed that another Ice Age period was about to start. This event occurred well before the Industrial Revolution, proving that this particular climate change had absolutely nothing to do with man’s industrial activities.
The scientific community has never been able to explain this historic event, nor link this to human activities. Recent knowledge that our Earth’s polar ice caps have stopped melting and are again rebuilding is being suppressed. Why? Is this also an “inconvenient truth”?
Lastly, people should be skeptical as to what governments are saying about climate change. Historically, the people have been lied to time and again by governments everywhere and for all sorts of reasons. We should all remember the warning, propagated by government during the late 1970s, that the world would permanently run out of oil within a decade. Who promoted this bit of total bunk? What economics were involved and who benefitted?
We should continue to question the science regarding climate change and its implications for all of us. I’m inclined to disbelieve the official climate science propaganda, offered by the “experts” unless the facts regarding it are backed by proven science only, nothing else.
Arthur Ooms
Saanich
