Robert Samulson writes
Politicians and scientists constantly warn of the grim outlook, and the subject is on the agenda of the upcoming Group of Eight summit of world economic leaders. But all this sound and fury is mainly exhibitionism -- politicians pretending they're saving the planet. The truth is that, barring major technological advances, they can't (and won't) do much about global warming. It would be nice if they admitted that, though this seems unlikely.
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First, we should tackle some energy problems. We need to reduce our use of oil, which increasingly comes from unstable or hostile regions (the Middle East, Russia, Central Asia, Africa). This is mainly a security issue, though it would modestly limit greenhouse gases. What should we do?
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Second, we should acknowledge that global warming is an iffy proposition.
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Third, we should recognize that improved technology is the only practical way of curbing greenhouse gases. About 80 percent of CO2 emissions originate outside the transportation sector -- from power generation and from fuels for industrial, commercial and residential use.
About a year ago, I heard climatologist Patrick Michaels speak to our Kiwanis club. He cast doubt on the whole global warming debate. While I don't want to accuse all of the anti-global warming advocates of hypocrisy, it seems to me that Samulson is right. Many of them are taking a moralistic pose in order to look good to their constituencies.
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