Global warming debate not over yet - Syracuse.com (blog)

To the Editor:

The debate is over, they tell us. Global warming and climate change are caused by human activity, and the government needs to do something.

At the recent summit meeting in Mexico, President Obama pledged $2 billion toward $100 billion to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and the use of fossil fuels. At the 2009 U.N. meeting in Copenhagen, Obama urged other nations to sign a treaty to that end.

I would like to present some facts from scientists, economists and others who oppose government intervention:

• The Earth has experienced warming and cooling trends throughout its history. The average world temperature increase since 1900 is just 1 degree Fahrenheit.

• There was a significant cooling period from the mid 1940s to the late 1970s, while CO2 was increasing rapidly.

• Many scientists have concluded there is little correlation between CO2 and temperature.

• Temperatures have warmed on Mars, where there is no human activity.

• Plants sequester CO2 that would otherwise be in the atmosphere.

• Recent scientific papers suggest that certain clouds are counteracting some of the CO2.

• In November 2005 a federal study concluded the increase in hurricanes is not related to greenhouse warming.

• Even though we are now experiencing a heat wave and drought, we’re living longer, and our environment is cleaner than in the past.

We should be good stewards of our land, water and air. Let people be free to use their human ingenuity to create alternate energy. We oppose big-government control of fossil fuels and CO2 emissions because of the large costs and miniscule benefits.

Virginia Van Ostrand
Auburn