A Thoughtful Article on Climate Change

[Onomea]

Bret Stephens is a former WSJ journalist who is now the NYT's resident conservative, much like the role Bill Safire used to play. In this article from today's NYT, he writes of his gradual acceptance of the reality of anthropogenic climate change.

While probably too long for most, for those of you who can bear listening to someone who has changed his mind on the topic explain why, it is a good read.

Here's an excerpt:

"...One reason the topic of climate has become so anathema to many conservatives is that so many of the proposed solutions have the flavor, and often the price tag, of old-fashioned statism. But climate is a universally shared good and ought to be a truly common interest. Conservatives can do a lot more to develop their own set of realistic policy prescriptions (for instance, expedited permitting and tax breaks for next-generation nuclear energy). But first, many of them have to be brought around, as I was this year, about the need for action..."

Opinion | Climate Change Is Real. Markets, Not Governments, Offer the Cure. - The New York Times

I admire the ability of thoughtful people to change their minds. I think many fear to do so because they think to change one's mind is to confess the belief that they were previously wrong. It is seen as a weakness. And in our polarized society, changing one's mind on the issues of the day also seems to many as apostasy, a betrayal of their tribe's core beliefs.

I think the ability to change one's mind is a strength, and the ability to break from the tribe's core beliefs, when warranted, healthy.

Anyway, regardless of how you feel about climate change, it's a good read for the readers among us.

 

[Roger Kipwell]

They were talking about climate change when I was in grade school in the 60s. That would have been a good time to start looking at changing things.

Now the nut jobs want everything to fix everything overnight.

 

[doublesharp]

I tried to read the article but no way I'm going to give NYT my log in info even if there is no paywall.

And this is nothing but an opinion piece anyway and you know what they say about opinions -

 

[Wyatt Burp]

I still have my dog sled and Eskimo clothes in the attic somewhere that I bought for the impending Ice Age these same hacks told in the 70s that we would be experiencing right now.

 

[1BadSmith]

I 100% believe in "climate change"...it's called spring, summer, fall, and winter!!! Not that hard to figure out. That hurricane that just jappened in Florida is the worst we've seen in a hundred years they said. Wait!! Stop the world, I want to jump off, you mean to tell me with the multi trillion dollars we've spent in the last 30 or 40 years to "combat" this crisis, it still happened 100 years ago?? Say it ain't so!! The sky is falling, we need more of that pollution to push it back up, so it doesn't hit the ground!!

 

[Rustyt1953]

 

[Buford57]

Food for thought. More thought than most people and nearly all decision-makers are willing to invest. Thanks for posting this.

 

[mdf9183]

I have never contended that climate is not changing as it has been since the world began. I just don't think that trowing money at it is going to change it back or stop it from changing in the future. IMHO

 

[ladder13]

The bone of contention being is mankind responsible. I say no.

 

[bigwheelzip]

From the environment audience, it's "interesting" to witness so many records being smashed, simultaneously and repeatedly.
Seeing barge navigation limited on every major river of commerce, and the worldwide throttling of thermal and hydro power stations due to low water conditions, is unique.

Any y'all on the Mighty Mississippi seen it this low before?

Even Canada, our hydro powered neighbors, are dealing with a historically low St. Lawrence Seaway.
Whoda thunk?

The changing environment was a major consideration in our choice of retirement location. Won't control it in my lifetime, but will avoid fighting it in the little time I've got left.






Sent from my motorola one 5G using Tapatalk

 

[MRB1]

I'm a firm believer in climate change(ing) because it has been that way since the Earth formed. Nothing as primitive as a human being can do anything about it, much less alter the process. We've been forced to accept some silly changes in the name of climate change, like air conditioning coolant, newer light bulbs, solar and wind energy requirements, yet the tired climate change whining still continues. We'll probably see two more ice ages before the Earth ends, but it won't be because we caused it.

 

[Buford57]

They were talking about climate change when I was in grade school in the 60s. That would have been a good time to start looking at changing things.

Now the nut jobs want everything to fix everything overnight.

Right, but back then it was "nuclear winter" and the "new ice age" we were supposed to worry about. But we did address air and water pollution, banned DDT and identified a slate of chemicals that posed the most immediate health and environmental hazards and put safeguards in place for their use. All without crashing the economy or returning to horse and buggy technology. As I recall it was a combination of government regulation, free market innovation and public pressure.

But then I'm not a Scandanavian teenager, so what do I know?

 

[dockmurgw]

It's 60 today...in Vermont...late October. Is the climate changing? Yup...has it changed countless times in the past? Yup...will it change again in the future? Yup, and there is not thing one any of us can do about it. Where I sit at this moment has been underwater, under a glacier, tropics to tundra at different points in time. We are not causing it, we cannot stop it, and if we hadn't advanced to the point where .gov has taken over as parent and provider for anyone that desires it, people would be too busy providing for themselves and family and have no time for climate idiocy.

 

[Rich Richardson]

Until you can stop the prevailing westerly winds coming in from the Pacific, you could shut down the U.S. and not make a dent.

 

[sigp220.45]

Thanks for sharing that! Its well-reasoned and sensible. Nobody here will read it.

I'm aligned pretty closely with the author - I was a denier, then as evidence continued to roll in I kept an open mind. It seems pretty obvious to me now.

But - I've found there is little point in arguing it, as many responses here show.

I'll keep doing what I can.

 

[pharmer]

I have been out West where it's evident that current deserts were underwater. Giant rock formations scoured smooth from eons of wear. I have seen the striations in the granite in the middle of NYC Central Park, evidence of the great pressure from the ice sheets descending from the North. The Earth gets much hotter and much colder in 60,000 year cycles (my FMA opinion). Seismic/volcanic/asteroidal impact alters the process. We are as effective on the climate as opening a window in an air conditioned house to cool the outdoors. Joe

 

[rock doc]

There have been least five major ice ages throughout Earth's history. The earliest was over 2 billion years ago, and the most recent one began approximately 3 million years ago and continues today. Currently, we are in a warm interglacial period that began about 11,000 years ago.

Makes me wonder which humans caused these climates to change.

 

[WCCPHD]

Instead of climate change (a made up term like gun violence, assault weapon, etc) WE need to study history.

When in the history of the world had the climate not been changing?

 

[Onomea]

For those who care to read the article, Stephens addresses a lot of — all? — the points that deniers/skeptics raise here in this thread.

I tried to read the article but no way I'm going to give NYT my log in info even if there is no paywall.

And this is nothing but an opinion piece anyway and you know what they say about opinions -

Hmm. Log in info? That doesn't sound right.

You should just be able to click on it and read, and not have to give any info yourself. It is "gift" article, meaning one of ten freebies I can give away per month as a subscriber.

Maybe try again?

Here's another excerpt:

"...in April 2017, I wrote my first column for The Times, "Climate of Complete Certainty." The blowback was intense. Climate scientists denounced me in open letters; petitions were circulated demanding that I be fired. The response mainly hardened my conviction that climate activists were guilty of precisely what I charged them with: intellectual self-certainty that is often a prescription for disaster...".

 

[ladder13]

Don't know the guy, his opinion is as valid as anyone else's. So he had a change of heart.

I am not a denier unless told it's the work of men.

Funny how the animal rights wackos lumped in cows to the argument. Maybe get rid of meat and fossil fuels at the same time?