I heard a fellow from NASA on Public Radio the other day. He was asked about global warming. In response, he said one of the most intelligent things I’ve heard on the subject. He agreed that climate might be changing, but he asked why we would assume that the climate we’ve had is the best of all possible climates. Indeed, the climate we’re moving to might be worse, or it might be better. Who knows?
If we knew that the new climate was better, would we be encouraging the generation of greenhouse gases? Would the government impose a special tax on the Prius and give a tax break for Hummer owners?
This, of course, is silly. The meaning of climate change is a value judgment. We haven’t heard much argument about either the total impact of climate change. Will word food supplies increase or decrease? How about diseases? Will climate change raise or lower the average standard of living?
I think climatologists are the best qualified to say whether the climate is changing or not, but they have no special insight into whether the change is for the worse or for the better, much less how much worse or better, and even less insight into what anyone should do about it. The uproar over climate change couldn’t have anything to do with getting grants for more research. Could it?
