 June 3 , 2009
Dear Friend, As you read this week's WeGetIt.org Wednesday Bulletin, please be thinking of friends who would benefit from it, and then forward it to them. Thanks for your support! Why fear of catastrophic, manmade global warming is mistaken
The models assume that clouds decrease as surface temperature increases, allowing more solar energy to reach Earth surface and warm it. If that is so, then clouds are a positive feedback. But Spencer explains that research he and others have published in the Journal of Climate and Geophysical Research Letters shows that cloud cover increases as surface temperature rises, reflecting more solar energy back into space and thus cooling the surface. In other words, clouds are a negative feedback--exactly the opposite of what all the computer climate models assume. The consequence, Spencer says, is that instead of about 5.4 degrees F of warming in response to doubled CO2, we should expect only about 1 degree--an amount that would not have serious harmful effects but would likely instead be beneficial. Leading scientist: Report of 300,000 climate deaths per year The New York Times summarized Pielke's comments: "there was no way to distinguish deaths or economic losses related to human-driven global warming amid the much larger losses resulting from the growth in populations and economic development in vulnerable regions." Pielke said that “climate change is an important problem requiring our utmost attention.” But the report, he said, “will harm the cause for action on both climate change and disasters because it is so deeply flawed.” In a comment he sent to The Times, Pielke expanded, calling the report "a poster child for how to lie with statistics." He referred to a report from Munich Re, the conclusion of which was that the signal of manmade climate change could not yet be seen in the loss data on disasters. In other words, it's impossible to tell what deaths should be attributed to climate change and what should be attributed to routine disasters that occur without climate change. Two elements of Earth stewardship God gave Adam and Eve two tasks when He put them in the Garden: to tend (or cultivate) it and to keep (or guard) it. The former implies increasing its productivity, the latter, protecting it from harm or deterioration. A third task, restoring the earth from the curse, arose consequent to the fall (Genesis 3:17-19). Biblically thinking Christians therefore cannot embrace either of two extreme attitudes toward the earth: unbridled exploitation and unmitigated preservation. Rather, both proper development and proper conservation of the earth and the resources we derive from it should concern us, and, as stewards of the earth over which God has made us rulers (Genesis 1:26-29; Psalm 8:4-8; 115:16 ), we need to make reasoned decisions about how to do both at once. Just as God is both Creator and Sustainer, so mankind, made in His image, is both to create new things and to sustain the world. Now, please forward this message to your pastor, other Christian leaders, and friends and urge them to sign the WeGetIt.org Declaration, too! The more people sign, the stronger the message our leaders will hear that Biblical principles and factual evidence, not media hype about speculative fears like global warming, should guide our care for the environment and the poor.Gratefully, We value your privacy. If you received this from a friend, you can join the campaign at www.WeGetIt.org. This message was originally sent to [email address suppressed] because someone signed the WeGetIt.org Declaration as "fullname." Edit your name | Bulletin Archives | Unsubscribe | Inquiries |
