Questions for scientists on climate change
Re: “Connecting, taking small steps help in facing climate crisis”, (Citizen, July 12).
Cathy Gilbert’s letter expresses a genuine fear of what the future has in store for her grandchildren, in that “they may not live into adulthood” if we don’t do something to “stop climate change”.
I would encourage her support group, One Cowichan, to ask the “global warming scientists” the following question:
How is it possible to prove that the global mean temperature has increased by “less than 1 degree C” since the industrial revolution without a global mean temperature starting point? It was that era of 1825 when the world started using fossil fuel in a big way.
The fact is that the Earth’s temperature during that era was never taken. Even in this day and age of communications, reporting points throughout the world and with the aid of satellite technology, it is a monumental task to do so. (And a hit and miss one at that, with some of the colder areas of the globe missing.)
One doesn’t have to be a mathematical genius to know that without a starting point temperature it is impossible to calculate an increase in global temperature. Have we been lied to?
At the same time, perhaps her group could ask the scientists if this is why they have shifted from the former word “global warming” to the most recent word “climate change” as it may be more believable? (Another topic altogether.)
John Walker
Cobble Hill