Thursday, April 19, 2007

SCIENTIFIC CONSENSUS, yeah. Only possible by ignoring certain scientists:
Roy Spencer is speaking up about his belief that Earth is not headed toward a global warming disaster.

Spencer, a principal research scientist at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and former NASA scientist, said he knows he's in the minority with his opinions, but he doesn't believe manmade influences are causing catastrophic climate changes.

"We see something change in our climate and we blame ourselves," Spencer told the Republican Women of Madison during a lunch meeting Wednesday.

Spencer contends there is not yet enough known about the Earth's atmosphere to understand exactly what occurs naturally to stabilize the earth's climate.

"I don't think we understand what happens. We can watch it happen on the (climate) models, we know it happens, but we don't know for sure how it happens," Spencer said.

Developing new energy technology is the only way to know for sure, he said, because he believes the existing climate models are too sensitive.

He said everything about the climate is tied to precipitation systems. But the climate models don't consider precipitation efficiency. However, he said the little evidence that exists shows precipitation systems act as a natural thermostat to reduce warming.

"The air you're breathing right now was, in the last few days, part of a precipitation system," he said.

Spencer said the fears about global warming have people wondering whether something should be done now to stop it.

"That's the precautionary principle, and it makes no sense because we don't live our lives that way," Spencer said. "Everything in life has risks and benefits; we could die from eating food."