.
“We are all entitled to our own opinions. We are
not, however, entitled to our own facts.”
-Patrick Moynihan
Debate on Climate Change revolves around three main questions:
- Are we experiencing unusual changes in climate?
- If unusual changes are occurring, is this change at least partly man-made?
- If changes are occurring and they are man-made, do we have the desire and ability to counteract these changes?.
The first two questions are simply issues of fact, not opinion. While discovering the facts may not be simple, one’s personal opinions and motivations are irrelevant in answering these two questions.
The third question, on the other hand, involves opinions regarding the prioritization of human and economic interests. It involves extremely complex issues for which one’s personal opinions will and should play a major role.
It logically follows then, that we should all be to find agreement as to the results of the first two questions, for we are simply not entitled to our own set of facts. After scientific assessment by the world’s leading experts (let us please leave it to the experts), we should all be able to agree on whether unusual changes in the climate are occurring and whether man is at least partly responsible for such changes. And since no one ever fully agrees on anything, I suggest a 95% consensus rate should be considered dispositive.
We can then save all our energy for the debate and arguments regarding what we should or should not do to counteract it –that is if and only if questions #1 and #2 are answered in the affirmative by the experts.
So let’s please stop are arguing:
- whether temperatures are increasing;
- whether polar ice caps are melting;
- whether sea levels are rising; or
- whether atmospheric CO2 levels are increasing.
These are just issues of fact that have been addressed by the world’s leading experts. Let’s instead save our debating for the third and most relevant issue. Such a plan will not only make us appear far more intelligent as a society, but may actually allow us to reach a consensus and act (or not act) accordingly — presumably in all our best interests.
Whatever they might be.
the politically challenged 